Based on many years of research conducted on over 100 Scientists have shown that eating large amounts of citrus can significantly increase the risk of melanoma. What amounts of fruit are you talking about?
The data included in the analysis has been collected since 1984. Almost 100 Americans were asked to fill in questionnaires on a regular basis regarding, among other things, their eating habits and health. They found that people who consumed citrus fruits every day – especially grapefruits and orange juice – suffered from melanoma much more often than people who ate citrus fruits less than twice a week. The risk of developing skin cancer increased by as much as 36% in this group. It is worth noting that the analysis eliminated the possibility of influencing other factors that could increase the overall risk of cancer, e.g. smoking or a sedentary lifestyle.
Scientists associate this fact with the high content of furanocoumarins in the fruit. These compounds are sensitive to light. Some of them are used to treat psoriasis. However, they also have a negative effect – they additionally sensitize the skin to ultraviolet radiation.
With these disturbing results, researchers set out to see if other vegetables and fruits that contain high amounts of furanocoumarins, such as carrots and celery, also had this effect. It turns out not. Scientists explain this state of affairs by the fact that we usually eat these vegetables after cooking.
However, specialists assure that there is no need to set aside citrus – it is much better to set aside the sun. Furanocoumarins increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays, so if we give up intensive sunbathing and use appropriate filters, citrus alone will not hurt us.
Based on: http://www.asco.org/