Diet Of Dried Plums Seems To Reduce Colon Cancer Risk

U.S. researchers have found that a diet rich in dried plums might ward off colon cancer by helping the gut retain beneficial bacteria. Earlier research has shown that disruptions to the microbiota spur the onset or recurrence of intestinal inflammation that can increase the risk of colon cancer. Dried plums, however, contain phenolic compounds that serve as antioxidants to neutralize the effect of free radicals that damage DNA. The new experiments in rats found that a dried plum diet increased the proportions of two major phyla of bacteria in the gut, while the control diet lowered the proportions. The tests also showed that rats eating dried plums had fewer aberrant “crypts” in gut wall tissue, a strong cancer indicator.