1/23/08 Fighting Cancer

Combating Cancer. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. It's nothing new to hear that eating certain foods can combat different kinds of cancer. That alone should have all of us eating as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. Now another new study adds its weight to the topic. Stacie Haaga, Director, Consumer Health and Education for U.S. Apple Association says it's good news for apple lovers. HAAGA: A new study was just recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology and that shows that a consumption of flavonol rich foods like apples may actually help prevent and reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Flavonoids are known for their antioxidant activity. HAAGA: They evaluated the intake of three different flavonols. One of those flavonols is Quercetin which is found in high concentrations in apples and onions. So they looked at over 180-thousand people and they examined the associations with the incidence of pancreatic cancer. In many foods the highest concentration of vitamins and other beneficial chemicals is in the skin. HAAGA: Well a lot of the antioxidants and flavonols are found in the skin. There has been some research to suggest that the peels really contain the bulk of those antioxidants but they're also in the flesh so apple juice and apple sauce also have these flavonols, but really the fresh apples have a higher presence of these flavonols. Many companies try and produce supplements that provide high doses of various antioxidants but the research shows the benefits are better from consuming the whole product. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.