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Pistachios may reduce cancer risk, study shows

Society Materials 8 March 2010 07:28 (UTC +04:00)
Eating pistachios daily may reduce the risk of lung and other cancers, according to a US study cited by the German Lung Foundation.
Pistachios may reduce cancer risk, study shows

Eating pistachios daily may reduce the risk of lung and other cancers, according to a US study cited by the German Lung Foundation.

The nuts are a rich source of gamma-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E and, as such, an antioxidant, dpa reported. Antioxidants are substances thought to protect cells from damage that can be caused by molecules known as free radicals. This protection could help prevent cancer from developing, the foundation said.

It pointed out, however, that pistachios had a high fat content and eating large quantities of them could cause weight gain.

The foundation cited a recent study conducted at Texas Woman's University - Houston Centre. Half of the study's participants were given 68 grams of pistachios daily for four weeks in addition to their normal diet. Afterwards, the level of gamma-tocopherol in their bodies was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group.

There is no need to fear a vitamin E overdose, the foundation noted. It said that vitamin E, in contrast to other fat-soluble vitamins, was not stored in the body's fatty tissue, but was quickly excreted by the liver and kidneys.

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