Nuts are one of the most recommended foods by nutrition experts. Its numerous benefits and properties provide nutrients and positive elements to the human body. Although it is already known that many of them are effective in improving health, researchers continue to discover new favorable aspects for organs.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut (United States) have added a new benefit to nut consumption, already known for their antioxidant properties or their contribution to cognitive capacity, revealing that these nuts They improve systemic inflammation and reduce the risk of colon cancerinforma europa press.
The nuts contain Elegitanines, some polyphenolic compounds of vegeral origin that are metabolized exclusively by the intestinal microbioma in a range of molecules called urolithins, which have very powerful anti -inflammatory properties and could even inhibit cancer, according to the study published in ‘Cancer Prevention Research’.
“Nut’s elagitanines contribute important anti -inflammatory and anticancer properties That we are observing in patients in our clinical trials, in particular the intestinal conversion of the Elagitanines in a powerful anti -inflammatory agent, the urolitin A, “explained researcher Daniel W. Rosenberg, who has been working on the properties of this dry fruit for more than a decade.
The study
Specifically, high levels of urolitin to which they are formed with nut consumption They would help reduce inflammatory markers In blood, urine and feces samples, and can even positively affect immune cells within colon polyps. The researchers recruited 39 people between 40 and 65 who presented a high risk of colon cancer.
-The participants were evaluated by the Clinical Research Team of the John Dempsey hospital in UCONN and were asked to complete a questionnaire about the frequency of consumption of certain foods. For a week, the people studied had to avoid all the foods and drinks that contained Elagititaninos, in order to reduce your urolitin levels to zero or near zero.
Next, the nuts introduced in their diets, which experts monitored to finally submit participants to a High definition colonoscopy.
To take into account
Among the findings, scientists found that high levels of urolitins A in the urine of patients correlated with the blood levels of the YY peptide, a protein associated with the inhibition of colorectal cancer. They also observed reduced levels of several inflammation markers present in the blood, especially in obese patients, who presented the greatest ability to form urolitins thanks to their intestinal microbioma.
In addition, through a high -dimension space image tool, they obtained a detailed view of the direct cell interactions present in the colon polyps removed during colonoscopy. With this, they discovered that the urolitin formed after the consumption of nuts kept a direct relationship with Reduced levels of various proteins important that are usually present in polyps, which demonstrates for the first time how nut consumption can improve the health of the colon.
“Our study solidly justifies the inclusion of nuts in the diet for cancer prevention. (…) Eat nuts offers many potential benefits, With so few risks that simply taking a handful a day is really something that can be done easily to benefit long -term health, “Rosenberg concluded.