Following on from last week’s story about the MSG in Chinese food causing eye problems, we can restore the balance with some good news about the Chinese takeaway. Apparently, it can cut the risk of prostate cancer.
Garlic, onions, shallots, leeks and scallions are all cancer-fighting foods, and they’re all found in Chinese food. Not surprisingly, then, a study among men in Shanghai found that those who ate small amounts of these foods every day cut their risk of developing prostate cancer by a third. Of all the foods mentioned, the most powerful were scallions, which alone could reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 70 per cent (J Natl Cancer Inst, 2002; 94: 1648-51).