Consuming garlic, onions may lower colorectal cancer risk : Study

Consumption of allium vegetables -- which include garlic, leeks, and onions -- may reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, a study claims.

Colorectal cancer is the cancer of the colon or rectum, located at the digestive tract's lower end. It is the second and third leading cause of cancer deaths in women and men, respectively.

The study, published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, found that the odds of having colorectal cancer were 79 per cent lower in adults who consumed high amounts of allium vegetable compared with those who consumed low amounts.

"It is worth noting that in our research, there seems to be a trend: the greater the amount of allium vegetables, the better the protection," said Zhi Li, from the First Hospital of China Medical University.

"In general, the present findings shed light on the primary prevention of colorectal cancer through lifestyle intervention, which deserves further in-depth explorations," Li said in a statement.

In the study, 833 patients of colorectal cancer were matched to 833 healthy controls by age, sex and residence area.

Demographic and dietary information was collected via face-to-face interviews using a validated food frequency questionnaire.