First vampires, now cancer: garlic protects

Good news for French cliches. Onions and garlic have been confirmed as probable protectors against cancer.

Previous research has largely been from China where diets and other lifestyle factors have traditionally been very different from those in the UK. However this analysis brings together eight studies from western Europe - Italy and Switzerland — and findings are much the same.

Researchers found that older adults with the highest onion and garlic intakes had the lowest risks of a number of cancers - including bowel coancer and throat cancer.

It's still not certain that onions and garlic have a direct effect on cancer risk. Dr. Carlotta Galeone, the lead author of the new study, told Reuters that it's possible, for instance, that onion and garlic lovers also have an overall diet that protects against cancer.

However, animal studies and lab experiments with cancer cells strongly suggest that certain compounds in onions and garlic may prevent cancers growing. Sulphur compounds found in garlic and antioxidant flavonoids in onions are among the potentially protective substances.

When it came to bowel cancer, Galeone's team found that men and women who ate seven or more servings of onions per week had less than half the risk of those who didn't eat the vegetable. Similarly, garlic lovers were a quarter less likely to develop the disease than people who avoided the vegetable.

The vegetables were also linked to lower risks of cancers of the mouth, throat, kidneys and ovaries.

Given what's known about the biological activity of some onion and garlic compounds, it wouldn't be a bad idea to spice up your diet with the vegetables, according to Galeone. It's probably wise to mix them with plenty of other vegetables, since, in general, experts recommend that people eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day.