Walnuts ‘could help to protect against prostate cancer’

A new US study has highlighted the protective benefits that walnuts can provide in lessening the risk of contracting prostate cancer.

The School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio conducted experiments using prostate cancer-affected mice to see if a walnut-enriched diet could offer the same benefits that it has been proven to provide for breast cancer.

It was found that only three of 16 mice eating the walnut-enriched diet developed prostate tumours, compared to 14 of 32 mice on the non-walnut control diet, while the animals eating walnuts also generally suffered from smaller tumours.

Study co-author Dr Elaine Hardman of the Joan Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University said: "The data to date suggests that using walnuts on a regular basis in the diet may be beneficial to defer, prevent or delay some types of cancer, including breast and prostate."

Walnuts have also been shown to offer heart health and diabetes management benefits in the past.