Two hundred scientific papers have shown how carrots affect cancer risk

A meta-analysis found a strong linear relationship between eating carrots and reducing people's risk of developing cancer.

Nutritionists and health professionals have long recognized the benefits of carrots. From past laboratory studies and animal experiments, we know that the compounds in the orange root vegetable, such as alpha- and beta-carotenes, specific polyacetylenes and isocoumarins, have many valuable health benefits.

This is not the first time that attempts have been made to summarize scientific data on the correlation between substances in carrots and cancer incidence using meta-analysis. However, previously the authors considered only retrospective studies and only one type of cancer.

Now the scientists have taken a broader approach to the issue. A team of nutritionists from Newcastle University (UK) selected both retrospective and dozens of prospective studies for meta-analysis. As a result, a new review evaluating the association between carrot consumption (raw and cooked) and incidence of all types of cancer included 198 research papers involving more than 4.7 million patients. The results were published by the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

The researchers found that consuming 400 grams of carrots per week (five servings weighing 80 grams each) was associated with an approximately 20 percent reduction in cancer risk. The positive effect persisted even if the weekly diet included only one serving of this vegetable. The likelihood of developing cancer was then reduced by 4% compared to those who never ate carrots. This is a very significant figure for a small change in diet.

Commenting on the results, one of the authors of the study, Charles Ojobor (Charles Ojobor) noted that most previous work has focused on beta-carotene - yellow-orange plant pigment, which carrots owe their bright coloring. According to the scientist, controlled experiments have found little effect of beta-carotene consumption on cancer incidence.

That's why Ojobor and his colleagues looked at other phytochemicals in carrots, namely polyacetylenes, which have no color but are known for their pronounced anti-cancer effects. The study confirmed that the anticarcinogenic effect was provided by carrots in general when they were sufficient in the diet, and not by carotenes alone.

The authors emphasized that the positive effect of carrot consumption was stable and did not depend on the type of cancer or geographical region of the study. Given the linear relationship found, the researchers said that the advice to eat carrots more often can be directly incorporated into public health recommendations.

Since the publication of the paper fell before Christmas, the authors reminded us that carrots are a popular vegetable side dish in holiday meals. So not only can you treat yourself to something tasty during the feast, but also bring health benefits, the scientists concluded.