Not Oranges and Lemons but Oranges and Bananas!

Not Oranges and Lemons but Oranges and Bananas!

According to the nursery rhyme it should be oranges and lemons but according to new scientific research we would be doing our children more good by giving them oranges and bananas!

Scientist working in Islamabad have been trying to research into why there are higher rates of childhood leukemia and cancer in the west rather than the east. The results have proved startling revealing that if we give our children oranges and bananas regularly we could halve the risk of these cancers.

This is the report from Online the International News Network;

Oranges, bananas and turmeric prevent leukemia

ISLAMABAD: Giving infants oranges and bananas regularly may halve their risk of developing childhood leukemia, suggest the results of a new study.

And a diet containing the curry spice turmeric may also be protective - accounting for the differences in childhood leukemia rates between east and west - says a leading scientist.

Children who ate oranges, orange juice or bananas between four to six times a week during their first two years of life had a significantly reduced risk of developing the cancer, revealed the observational study by US researchers.

Previous studies on childhood leukaemias have not examined the effects of the overall diet in this way, focusing more on possible risk foods like cured meats.

"Our study is unique, and we have elucidated a significant protective association with the consumption of oranges, bananas and orange juice," says Marilyn Kwan, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Berkeley.

However, she cautions that without carrying out a randomised controlled trial, it is difficult to predict exactly how protective eating these fruits may be, or to make firm public health recommendations. But she notes that in her study "there was a 50 per cent reduction in risk".
The evidence for oranges and bananas, and turmeric in preventing leukaemia was presented at Children with Leukaemia’s international leukaemia conference in London, UK, on Thursday.

Oranges and bananas may protect against childhood leukemia because they are a rich source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. They could act by reducing oxidative DNA damage, and so stop the initiation of cancerous processes.

Bananas are also rich in potassium. Animal studies have indicated that potassium stabilises DNA and can reduce rates of mutation.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=133473