Preventing Prostate Cancer with Guacamole?

by Michael Gerger, M.D.

We've know that dietary boron intake likely strengthens one's bones and protects against arthritis, but its role in cancer prevention has remained a mystery. Epidemiological evidence over the last 4 years has shown that populations with high dietary intakes of boron did seem to have reduced prostate cancer risk, though. So to test the potential anticarcinogenic effect of this trace mineral, researchers at the University of California dripped varying concentrations of boron on human prostate cancer cells and found indeed that at boron levels achievable through dietary intake one could significantly retard the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Where is boron found? The best sources are nuts, fruits and vegetables. The most concentrated source of dietary boron on the planet seems to be flax seeds; the top five (according to USDA tests of 234 foods) are 1. flax seeds, 2. avocados, 3. peanuts, 4. prune juice, then 5. pecans. This is based on boron concentration by weight, though. Just because peanuts score higher than prune juice doesn't mean it's just as easy to drink a cup of peanut butter. Taking serving sizes into account, the most readily available source of boron is probably avocados.