NEW YORK, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- European scientists say anti-cancer effects of olive oil may account for the difference in cancer rates among Northern and Southern Europeans.
The authors based their conclusion on the outcomes of volunteers from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy and Spain who consumed 25 milliliters, or a bit less than a quarter cup, of olive oil every day for three weeks.
During this time the researchers examined urine samples of the subjects for specific compounds known to be waste byproducts of oxidative damage to cells, a precursor to cancer. At the beginning of the trial the presence of these waste by-products was much higher in Northern European subjects than their Southern European counterparts.
However, at the end of three weeks the presence of this compound in Northern European subjects was substantially reduced, according to the study published in the January issue of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.
