Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death, although spinach could have a healthy effect. This emerges from a new study that looks at healthBenefits of chlorophyll in leafy vegetablesconcerned. Building on previous research, the study authors have come closer to understanding exactly how it works. These have shown that eating green vegetables and fiber can reduce the risk of colon cancer by half. Therefore, the scientific team wanted to investigate the connection between spinach, gut health, genes and cases of colon cancer.
Why eating spinach can be healthy for the intestinal flora
The researchers used a model of an inherited disease called familial adenomatous polyposis. This is an inherited condition that causes young people to develop multiple benign growths (polyps) in their colon. The results of this study suggest that spinach has a healthful effect on these patients and may help prevent cancer. This is done by the green leafy vegetables delaying the need for intestinal removal and prolonged drug treatment through regular consumption. When conducting the study, the authors observed significant antitumor activity in the colon and small intestine. The researchers also found that fatty acids, which are linked to regulating inflammation, were at better levels after a diet containing spinach. The research team previously noted the benefits of spinach in a carcinogen-induced model of colon cancer that mimics sporadic cases. In this model, spinach was very effective in preventing polyps.
The study authors worked for two years analyzing hundreds of samples they took from the study's models. Additionally, this is one of the most comprehensive of its kind, especially in the context of cancer prevention through a whole food and leafy green like spinach. The team's next step is to validate some of the metabolic aspects of their results. These would be, for example, the concentrations of linoleic acid metabolites and short-chain fatty acids with anticancer effects in the preclinical model and ideally in human patients. When it comes to how soon affected individuals should start eating spinach, it is never too early. According to the authorsthis studyPeople should not wait until polyps develop to begin such preventive measures.
