Ask the NUTritionist
Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D. co-author of "The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!" answers questions about diets, health and pecans.
Q: Do Georgia pecans have any unique anti-cancer properties?
A: It certainly looks that way. Researchers have found that pecans are a particularly rich source of gamma-tocopherol, a specific form of vitamin E found mainly in foods that has been shown to help prevent inflammation, which has been implicated in the development of cancer.
Moreover, laboratory studies with gamma-tocopherol show that it can slow the growth of prostate cancer cells and lung cancer cells.
Researchers out of Purdue University in West Layafette, Indiana, found in their experiments that as the levels of gamma-tocopherol increased, cancer cells grew more slowly. However, alpha-tocopherol, the form of vitamin E most commonly found in supplements (but not in foods) did not provide the same anti-cancer benefits.
Gamma-tocopherol can also trigger the destruction of cancer cells, a process known as apoptosis, which is an important function for stopping cancer in its tracks. Pecans are also a rich source of several naturally occurring plant compounds (phytonutrients) including flavonoids that are believed to have anti-cancer roles as well.
While more research needs to be done in animals and humans to backup the findings from laboratory studies, the research to date suggests a role for pecans and other foods rich in gamma-tocopherol and phytonutrients for both the prevention and treatment of some types of cancer.
