03/14/2019 / By Michelle Simmons
Walnuts are one of the most popular nuts consumed because of their health benefits. These are packed with bioactive compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), polyphenols, and dietary fiber. In addition, they can help cut your risk of developing colon cancer – making it a great addition to your diet. While walnuts are usually eaten raw or roasted, heat treatments may change the chemical composition of the food. However, a study reveals that roasted walnuts — a popular treat for a lot of people — still have their powerful anticancer properties.
For the study, a team of researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany conducted a lab trial to determine whether the roasting process would affect the anticancer effects of walnuts. The research team subjected raw and roasted walnuts to in vitro digestion and fermentation.
After treating colon adenoma cells with walnuts, they examined the expression of catalase, superoxide dismutase 2, glutathione peroxidase 1, glutathione S-transferase P1 (GPx1), glutathione S-transferase T2 (GSTT2) genes. They also examined cell growth and apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
The results revealed that walnuts increased mRNA levels of catalase and GSTT2 — which are involved in detoxification — and significantly decreased GPx1 levels. These also inhibited the growth of colon adenoma cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In addition, higher concentrations of walnut treatment greatly increased the number of early apoptotic cells and induced caspase-3 activity.
These results, which were published in the journal Nutrition Research, indicated that walnuts reduce the risk of colon cancer by inducing expression of genes involved in detoxification and by causing growth inhibition and apoptosis in colon adenoma cells. From these findings, the research team concluded that the roasting process did not have a direct effect on the chemical composition and anticancer properties of walnuts as the treatment with walnuts still exhibited anticancer effects against colon cancer development. (Related: Walnuts inhibit cancer development, slow its growth, and kill cancer cells.)
These wrinkly, round nuts that grow from the walnut tree are more than just cancer-fighting foods. Here are the other health benefits walnuts offer.
Read more news stories and studies on preventing cancer with foods by going to PreventCancer.news.
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Tagged Under: anticancer, cancer cures, cancer treatment, colon cancer, food cures, food is medicine, food science, functional food, prevention, research, roasted walnuts, roasting, Walnuts