EATING half an onion a day can slash the chances of getting bowel cancer, a study suggests.
Scientists found eating as little as 44g each day of allium vegetables, which also include spring onions, garlic and leeks, can reduce the risk of developing the killer disease.
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In a study of 1,666 men and women, those eating 74g a day — half a medium-sized onion — were 79 per cent less likely to develop bowel cancer than those eating less.
The report’s author Dr Zhi Li, of the First Hospital of China Medical University, said: “There seems to be a trend — the greater the amount of allium vegetables, the better the protection.”
Allium vegetables have bioactive compounds that can protect against cancer.
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Slicing and crushing fresh garlic boosted these properties, the researchers said.
But boiling onions reduced the benefit.
Susannah Brown, of the World Cancer Research Fund said: “When it comes to diet and cancer prevention it’s important that people think about their diet as a whole and not focus on one individual food.”
