For the record, I’m a fan of citrus. I love grapefruit and orange juice, and I definitely incorporate (and enjoy!) both in my diet. So I was surprised to find studies that link the consumption of whole grapefruit and orange juice to higher melanoma risk. The study was conducted over a period of 25 years, involved over 100,000 American respondents, and followed their citrus intake, as well as their other health habits.
The study found out that people who consumed at least 1.6 times of a serving size a day increased their risk of contracting melanoma by 36 percent. One serving size is defined as half of a grapefruit or 6 oz. glass of orange juice. These citrus foods apparently contain photoactive compounds that make the skin more sensitive to UV rays. Here is the confusing part: only whole grapefruit and orange juice are the ones noted to have impact, and not whole oranges or grapefruit juice. The researchers thought, for the whole fruits, it may be because whole grapefruit and whole oranges may not be have the same content of photoactive compounds. As for the juices, the researchers speculated that it may be more of a statistical conclusion, because Americans consume more orange juice than grapefruit juice, thus the increase in good old OJ’s link to melanoma.
Panic or any dietary changes are unwarranted, however. The experts emphasized that there only need be awareness of the findings—and that ultimately, it’s still direct exposure to the UV rays that will hurt your skin the most. Further studies are needed about it, too. I personally decided to indulge in OJ and grapefruit during the winter months, and stay away from consuming them during the summer. I suppose that it’s not gonna be much of a big deal because there’s an abundance of other fruits and veggies that I can enjoy during the warmer seasons.
References:
http://medicalsciencetoday.com/skin-cancer-linked-to-grapefruit-and-orange-juice-study/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/296087.php
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