Walnuts and low fat diet may curb growth of prostate cancer

A new study reported on March 22 suggests eating walnuts may help slow growth of prostate cancer.

The study led by Paul Davis of the  University of California, Davis showed prostate cancer grew more slowly in mice fed a diet rich in walnuts. 

Early research has already suggested that walnuts can benefit the heart by fighting inflammation and helping blood vessels dilate.

Inflammation many researchers believe is implicated in many types of cancer. Walnuts can help production of endothelin, a protein that helps regulate prostate growth.

Prostate cancer in the mice genetically modified to induce the disease grew very slowly when the animals used a diet with only 5 percent of calories from fat.

By contrast, when mice used a diet with 20 percent calories from fat , Davis and colleagues found prostate cancer grew quickly.

However, when a diet with 20 percent of fat calories from walnuts was given to the mice, prostate cancer grew as slowly as they were given the diet with 5 percent calories from fat.

A man would have to eat about 500 calories of walnut oil to have such an effect as seen in the low diet, Davis was cited as saying.

Jimmy Downs