Eating lots of vegetables lowers the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), according to a Mayo Clinic study. After examining the dietary intake of 466 people with NHL and 391 matched controls, researchers found that:
- 1. Those who ate a higher number of vegetable servings per week had a 42 percent lower risk of NHL than those who ate the lowest number.
- Those who ate the most servings of green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables had a 40 percent lower risk compared to the lowest intakes.
- Those who had the highest intake of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin had a 46 percent lower risk of NHL.
- Those who had the highest intake of zinc had a 42 percent lower risk.
- The researchers believe the reduced risks are due to the antioxidant effects of the carotenoids in vegetables. An antioxidant-rich diet helps fight DNA damage caused by oxidative stress, which is one of the risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition June 2006, Vol. 83, No. 6: 1401-1410
- submitted by Dorit
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