People who flavour their diets with plenty of onions and garlic might have lower odds of several types of cancer, a new study suggests.
In an analysis of eight studies from Italy and Switzerland, researchers found that older adults with the highest onion and garlic intakes had the lowest risks of a number of cancers - including colon, ovarian and throat cancers.
It's still not certain that onions and garlic have a direct effect on cancer risk. It's possible, for instance, that onion and garlic lovers also have an overall diet that protects against cancer, according to Galeone and her colleagues.
On the other hand, they note, animal studies and lab experiments with cancer cells have found that certain compounds in onions and garlic may inhibit the growth of tumours. Sulfur compounds found in garlic and antioxidant flavonoids in onions are among the potentially protective substances.