AVOCADOS

Avocados are enjoyed around the world by people from all walks of life. Research published in the January 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry indicate that nutrients in avocados can work together to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.

The analysis was conducted at UCLA where researchers discovered that avocados are the richest source of lutein among commonly eaten fruits. Lutein is a carotenoid that acts as an antioxidant and has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer in previous studies.

According to Dr. David Heber, the study focused on inhibition of human prostate cancer cell growth when exposed to an extract of whole avocado fruit versus treatment with pure lutein. Cancer cell growth was inhibited up to 60% when exposed to the whole fruit but no improvement was seen when exposed to pure lutein.

Dr.Heber commented, “What’s really exciting about this study is that the results indicate that the cartenoids, vitamins and diverse compounds in avocados have a synergistic effect against prostate cancer compared to pure lutein alone.”

The moral of this story seems to be that whole foods, in their original whole form, offer the best nutrition possible for the human body.