Edible flowers not proven to prevent cancer

Conclusion The current study has identified the levels of phenolic compounds in certain edible flowers. These compounds have antioxidant compounds, and antioxidants have been suggested to have various health benefits, including fighting cancer and heart disease. However, the current study has not assessed whether eating these flowers could have effects on human health, or at what levels they would need to be consumed to have any effects. A Cochrane systematic review pooled data on the effects of antioxidant supplements tested in clinical trials and found no evidence of beneficial effects on survival in healthy people or people with specific diseases. Certain antioxidant supplements (beta-carotene and vitamin E) appeared to potentially slightly increase the risk of death during the trials. While the trials in this review may not have tested edible flower extracts specifically, the review does highlight the importance of testing compounds to be sure of their effects, rather than assuming that simply because they have antioxidant properties they must be beneficial. Just because a substance comes from a plant you should never assume that it is guaranteed to be safe. Some of the deadliest poisons are derived from plants. Similarly, despite claims to the contrary, it is untrue that science looks down its nose at substances derived from plants. Many widely used drugs, including aspirin, warfarin and some chemotherapy drugs are based on plant chemicals. Analysis by Bazian. Edite...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Food/diet Source Type: news