Can Too Much Citrus Lead To Melanoma?

Recent research from a very well-done study suggests that daily OJ and grapefruit may increase melanoma risk, when compared to people who took in citrus fruits or juice only twice a week.

 

Looking closely at this study, the overall risk of melanoma was less than 2% in the entire study group over 25 years. The kicker was that those who took in 1.6 6-ounce servings daily had a 36% higher risk than those who consumed them twice a week or less. Specifically, whole grapefruit and orange juice was found to have the link.

 

Now, if you’re thinking that most people who live in sunny climates eat the most citrus fruits and ALSO get the most sun, the study researchers already thought of that. They actually took into account people’s daily sun exposure, family history, as well as smoking and other lifestyle habits. The higher risk for melanoma was still there when all other factors were controlled for.

 

The working theory is that citrus fruits contain the naturally-occurring substances called furocoumarins that have been known to cause skin cells to be more sensitive to sunlight and more likely to transform into malignant cells, possibly.

 

If you’re wearing protective sunblock then the UV rays aren’t getting to your skin anyway! And you can still enjoy your citrus fruits.

 

I overheard someone today say “Guess I’m getting rid of my morning grapefruit,” and I said “Why on Earth would you do that!?” This study should in no way steer people away from grapefruit and oranges. If you have a strong family history of melanoma or you spent many years unprotected in the sun, you may want to substitute different fruits here and there for your citrus. More importantly avoid unprotected sun exposure!

 

As for this study’s results, it falls in line with the theory of moderation: too much of a good thing usually isn’t so good!

 

The best example of this is when we discovered (circa 1997) that high intake of beta-carotene (great for your eyes and other organs of course) in smokers led to a significantly increased risk of lung cancer. Carrots are great but no one should be eating pounds of it a week. More importantly don’t smoke!

 

When it comes to citrus fruits, better to eat the whole fruit than to drink the juice – partly because you won’t be able to ingest as much! And for citrus fruits this is particular true – orange juice is super sweet and easy to overdo, whereas peeling an orange takes more effort and has the benefits of fiber and other wholesome goodness.

 

The last thing people should take from this study is that they should eliminate citrus from their diet! Please remember citrus fruits have tons of Vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant, linked to helping prevent several different types of cancer growth.

 

Also, citrus have tons of beneficial flavanones – a great study by the American Heart Association found that women who consumed the most flavanones via oranges and grapefruits had a 19 percent lower risk of stroke than those who ate the least amount. Variety is the spice of life! I love grapefruit juice and I love summertime. This study changes nothing in my routine. I drink grapefruit juice about 2-3 times a week and I am covered in sunblock daily even if I’m driving or only outside for a bit.

 

Another takeaway is that we need to protect our skin from UV rays with proper sunblock. This is our primary defense against melanoma!

 

I hope I convinced some of you not to toss away those oranges! Moderation, variety, and common sense is what we need!