Regular consumption of raw carrots is associated with a significant, dose-dependent reduction in lung cancer incidence, suggesting a potential cancer-protective effect attributed to polyacetylenic compounds, particularly falcarinol and falcarindiol, present in raw carrots.

2023 Nutrients Carrot Intake and Risk of Developing Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study Deding U, Baatrup G, Kaalby L, Kobaek-Larsen M

Cohort Study Adenocarcinoma Cancer Cancer Risk

This research involved a long-term study of 55,756 Danish citizens over a period of more than 25 years. The focus was on investigating the relationship between regular consumption of raw carrots and the development of various cancers, predominantly adenocarcinomas and leukemia. The study assessed whether the frequency of carrot consumption influenced the incidence of lung, pancreatic, breast, prostate cancer, and leukemia. Additionally, it compared the effects of eating raw versus processed carrots.

The study found that eating raw carrots regularly was associated with a reduced occurrence of lung cancer. This link was less clear for pancreatic cancer and non-existent for breast and prostate cancer. The research suggested that the cancer-preventive properties of raw carrots could be attributed to specific compounds, namely falcarinol and falcarindiol. These compounds are not present in cooked carrots. This significant finding points towards the potential of raw carrots in cancer prevention, particularly for lung cancer.

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