Red Raspberries, Cancer & Ellagic Acid
The case for eating a lot more red raspberries looks good. In fact, red raspberries may be the ultimate food for anyone concerned about cancer.
A barrage of clinical research at Hollings Cancer Center (Charleston, South Carolina, USA) confirms that red raspberries, the richest food source of a substance known as ellagic acid, inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Studies under the direction of Dr. Daniel Nixon indicate that daily consumption of 150 grams (one cupful) of red raspberries slows the growth of abnormal colon cells in humnas, prevents (in some cases destroys) the development of cells infected with papilloma virus, the cause of cervical cancer, and most recently found to break down extracted leukemia cells.
How does ellagic acid work?
Ellagic acid acts as a scavenger to "bind" cancer-causing chemicals, making them inactive. It inhibits the ability of other chemicals to cause mutations in bacteria. In addition, ellagic acid from red raspberries prevents binding of carcinogens to DNA, and reduces the incidence of cancer in cultured human cells exposed to carcinogens.
This information was taken from Round the Rubus, No. 6, Feb. 2000 (The newsletter of the Australian Rubus Growers' Association Inc.)
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