Rhubarb
The humble rhubarb may be a secret weapon in the fight against cancer as researchers discover that eating baked rhubarb could help fight cancer.
Research from Sheffield Hallam University has found evidence that baking British garden rhubarb for 20 minutes boosted its levels of anti-cancerous chemicals.
The researchers discovered the polyphenols could kill or prevent the growth of cancer cells and could be used to develop new, less toxic treatments.
This the first study of the benefits of British rhubarb, was focused around a variety grown in South Yorkshire, where in the past the focus was on Oriental medicinal rhubarb, which has been recognised for its health benefits and used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.
The team now hope to discover the best combination of rhubarb's polyphenols and chemotherapy agents needed to kill leukaemia cells.
It is thought the properties of South Yorkshire rhubarb could even be effective in cases where cancers had proved resistant to other treatments.
Dr Nikki Jordan-Mahy, of Sheffield Hallam University's biomedical research centre, was quoted as saying: "Our research has shown that British rhubarb is a potential source of pharmacological agents that may be used to develop new anti-cancerous drugs.
"Current treatments are not effective in all cancers and resistance is a common problem.
"Cancer affects one in three individuals in the UK so it's very important to discover novel, less toxic treatments, which can overcome resistance."
The research was funded by the Centre for Food Innovation at Sheffield Hallam University.