Always Eat Your Crusts!

"Eat your crusts, they're good for you!" said Mom. And you always ignored her didn't you? Well, it turns out she was right all along!



It has been discovered that a type of chemical released during the baking process of bread can protect against bowel cancer. The antioxidant, called pronyl-lysine, prevents changes in the body that can lead to a tumour developing. And there is upto eight times the amount in the crust than the rest of a loaf!

Although researchers have said it's too early to say how much you have to eat to get maximum benefit, it is thought that a daily dose of crusty, wholemeal bread would be recommended, as experiments have shown regular intake of the chemical appears to halt the development of pre-cancerous lesions in the colon.

Bowel tumours are the third most common cancer in the UK, killing around 16,000 people a year.

Good diet is known to help protect against the disease, with experts recommending the consumption of high-fibre foods, such as wholemeal bread, to help reduce the risks of it developing.

The latest study however, suggests it's the crust of the bread, rather than the fibre in it, that offers the greatest benefit.

A group of scientists at an Indian University have tested the effects of pronyl-lysine on rats. They were monitored to see if they developed any pre-cancerous lesions, called ACF (Aberrant Cryptic Foci).

The results reveal that a daily portion of bread crust can reduce the development of ACFs by over 70%.

The figures conclude some very good reasons to leave the crusts on next time you make a sandwich!

They also confirm something we normally tend to learn as we get older... Mum knows best!

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