Onions, Garlic May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

 

If you have been eating onions and garlic because you heard they had health benefits, there is good reason to continue. Several studies have shown an inverse association between onion and garlic intake and the risk of cancers of the lung, prostate, and stomach. And garlic, in particular, may help control blood pressure.

A 2019 study adds breast cancer to the list of things that onions and garlic may help prevent (technically, they reduce your risk). 

“We found that among Puerto Rican women, the combined intake of onion and garlic, as well as sofrito, was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer,” said Gauri Desai, the study’s lead author, who is an epidemiology PhD student in the University of Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. Sofrito is a puree of peppers, onions, garlic, herbs, and olive oil that is frequently used in Puerto Rico. Those who consumed sofrito more than once per day had a 67% decrease in breast cancer risk compared to women who never ate it.

“Studying Puerto Rican women who consume a lot of onions and garlic as sofrito was unique,” Desai said, adding that it was the total intake of onions and garlic, not sofrito alone, that was associated with breast cancer risk. Studies in France, Mexico, Taiwan and China have also shown an inverse association between onion and garlic intake and breast cancer, the researchers noted.

Onions and garlic are rich in flavonols and organosulfar compounds. In particular, garlic contains compounds such as S-allylcysteine, diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide, while onions contain alk(en)yl cysteine sulphoxides. “These compounds show anticarcinogenic properties in humans, as well as in experimental animal studies,” said Lina Mu, the study’s senior author, who is an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University of Buffalo.

And as a free bonus, both garlic and onions add zip and flavor to just about any dish.