An apple a day keeps cancer at bay, latest research reveals

AN APPLE a day really can keep the doctor away by reducing the risk of colon cancer, scientists claim.

Tests on rats showed that plant chemicals in apples called procyanidins helped to prevent changes that can lead to cancer.

A number of animals were injected with a substance known to trigger cancer of the bowel.

After six weeks, rats fed a mixture of water and apple procyanidins had about half the number of pre-cancerous growths in their colons as those on a regular diet.

Other experiments on cells in the laboratory revealed that procyanidins inhibited cancer biomarkers and tumour growth.

The chemicals triggered signals that caused apoptosis, a form of programmed cell-death which is an important weapon against cancer.

Dr Francis Raul, the study’s leader, from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Strasbourg, said: "For now, our work suggests that eating the whole apple, including the skin, might offer some anti-cancer benefits.

"That is certainly something we can comfortably do without further study."