Scientists estimate that at least 40% of cancers can be prevented with lifestyle and diet changes. Therefore, it is better to limit red and processed meats, alcohol and foods full of saturated fats and, at the same time, to prefer foods rich in fiber, tea but also fruit and vegetables. But what is the role played by dried fruit in the prevention of cell degeneration and therefore cancer? Raisins, dates and prunes appear to be able to reduce the risk of incidence of certain types of cancers, as pointed out by a recent review published in the journal Advances in Nutrition by a team from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston in collaboration with Colombian scientists (Mossine et al, Adv Nutr, Mar 2020).
Until now, little attention had been paid to the preventive role of dried fruit against cellular degeneration. That is why the authors of the article carried out a research analyzing more than 1500 studies previously carried out, looking for any relationships between the intake of dried fruit and the risk of cancer. What emerged is that dried fruit actually has a protective role, probably due to the fact that the drying process modifies the chemical composition of the fruit by increasing the presence of active compounds. Consuming 3 to 5 servings per week of dried fruit, such as raisins, dates and prunes, has shown to reduce the risk of developing colon polyps by 24%, the risk of prostate cancer by 49% and by 65% the risk of pancreatic cancer. Not only that, dried fruit is also protective for the digestive system and the bladder. Finally, this anti-mutation effect of dried fruit is considered comparable, in some studies even greater, than that of fresh fruit.
