Many studies have already tried to convince us to eat and drink natural citrus fruits as they have abundant vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C. However, a new study suggests that this is counter-productive. Worse, it can increase the risk of a deadly type of skin cancer.
Researchers from the medical school of Brown University discovered that regular consumption of a certain amount of citrus fruit can increase the risk of melanoma up to 36%.
For the study, they looked into the eating habits of no less than men and women in the United States. From the participants, around 2,000 of them eventually developed melanoma, a type of skin cancer that usually appears as moles. Sometimes these are moles that have become malignant due to exposure to the sun's UV rays.
Among those who had melanoma, people who consumed at least a little over one and a half times daily of a serving of citrus juice or fruit have a significant risk of the disease. The risk is also higher for those who consumed orange and grapefruit. A serving is described as one orange or 6 ounces of it in juice form.
As to what boosts the risks, the researchers believe it's one of the components of the fruit known as furocoumarins, which are organic chemical substances that are produced by many different kinds of plants. While they protect the plants from predators by increasing the toxicity levels of the plants, when they are consumed, they can make the skin more photoactive. This means the skin becomes more reactive to the effects of UV radiation. This also explains why those who consume high levels of furocoumarins are also vulnerable to hyper pigmentation and even sunburn.
Nevertheless, as reported by Washington Post, the American Society of Clinical Oncology thinks that although the study is interesting, it may not be enough to demand a change in the way people should consume citrus products.