No clinical proof exists for claims that raw almonds are a cure and preventative for cancer. Almonds sold in the United States must undergo pasteurization. Many health advocates no longer consider them truly raw. Bitter almonds, not the sweet almonds sold in the U.S., contain amygdalin, known as B-17, an unproven cancer treatment also known as Laetrile.
Amygdalin in Almonds
Sweet almonds grown and sold in the U.S. do not contain amygdalin, the compound purported to have cancer-fighting abilities. Found in the kernel of raw bitter almonds and in apricot and peach pits, amygdalin has no scientific proof it can cure cancer, although many anecdotal stories exist. Amygdalin is the natural form of Laetrile, the semi-synthetic form patented in the United States. Neither Laetrile nor amygdalin has approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for cancer.
Studies
An April 2006 Cochrane Database Systematic Review found no randomized clinical trials or non-randomized controlled clinical trials on the benefits of amygdalin as a cancer-fighting agent. The lack of well-designed clinical trial data makes it impossible to establish a benefit for treating cancer with Laetrile or amygdalin, researchers concluded. A British review reported in the June 2007 issue of "Supportive Care in Cancer" reviewed 36 case reports of treatment with Laetrile and found no benefit.
Fiber and Colon Cancer
Raw almonds contain fiber, which can help keep your colon healthy, although clinical trials have not supported a link between a high-fiber diet and a lowered risk of colon cancer, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Considerations
Salmonella outbreaks traced back to raw almonds led to the regulations by the United States Department of Agriculture that banned the sale of raw almonds in 2007. All almonds grown in the U.S. must undergo pasteurization that opponents claim removes part of the nutrients that give almonds their health benefits. Sellers can label pasteurized almonds as "raw" even though almond advocates argue that these do not have the health benefits of truly raw almonds.
References
- American Cancer Society; Laetrile; November 2008
- National Cancer Institute; Laetrile/Amygdalin: Questions and Answers; June 2002
- Cochrane Database Systematic Review; Laetrile Treatment for Cancer; S. Milazzo, et al.; April 2006
- "Supportive Care in Cancer"; Laetrile for Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence; S. Milazzo, et al.; June 2007
- Drugs.com: Almonds
- Natural News; Almond Growers Sue USDA to Halt Mandatory Chemical Fumigation of Raw Almonds; Mike Adams; September 2008
