Can eating walnuts prevent prostate cancer?

Recently, a study by the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UT) showed that eating a moderate amount of walnuts can prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells.

The research results were published in the July 2013 issue of the journal Cancer Research. If prostate cancer cells are injected into immunodeficient rats, the cancer cells will grow rapidly in these immunodeficient rats after about three to four weeks.

Dr. Russel Reiter of the University of Texas wanted to compare the growth rate and size of cancer cells in rats fed a walnut-rich diet (experimental group) and rats fed a walnut-free diet (control group). The study found that in the walnut-rich diet group, only 3 of 16 rats (about 18%) had prostate cancer cells growing, while in the control group, 14 of 32 rats (about 44%) had prostate cancer cells growing.

Moreover, the size of the tumor in the walnut-fed experimental group was only one-fourth of that in the control group!

The researchers said that previous rat test results have confirmed that walnut feed can prevent the growth of breast cancer cells in rats. The results of this study prove that walnut feed can also prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. Dr. W. Elaine Hardman, co-author of the study, said that existing evidence shows that a moderate walnut diet can block, prevent or delay the growth of prostate cancer and breast cancer cells.

As for the proportion of walnuts in the dietary structure, Dr. Russel Reiter pointed out that if converted into the human diet, eating about 2 ounces (1 ounce is approximately equal to 28.35 grams) per day is enough.