Myth busted: Drinking hot pineapple juice cannot kill cancer

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According to National Cancer Institute, Cancer is a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.

We also found an article stating the same.

Apparently, pineapple is a healthy fruit and contains a lot of health benefits but can pineapple juice kill cancer cells is a matter of doubt.

FACT CHECK

NewsMeter performed a keyword search in order to find relevant information about the relation between pineapple and cancer treatment. According to WebMD, the research on fruits and cancer isn't perfect. There aren't many studies, and the results are often inconsistent.

"No food and certainly no one fruit can prevent or fight cancer. Still, certain types of fruits may have cancer-fighting qualities. Others can make it easier for you to cope with the side effects of treatments," it says.

It also states that researchers are studying a range of plant chemicals that may play a role in cancer prevention, including Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapples, Carotenoids, plant pigments often found in orange fruits, and Antioxidants in pomegranates.

The research is in its early stages, so we really don't know yet if these plant chemicals have cancer benefits. But at the least, these fruits are high in fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of certain cancers and help you maintain a healthy weight.

We further investigated to find if cancers are curable. According to an article in WebMD, `Fruit' is a general term you use to cover many different kinds: apples, cranberries, pineapple, and more.

Likewise, "cancer" is a catch-all word for more than 200 types, including cancers of the bladder, brain, breast, colon, eye, kidney, liver, lungs, ovaries, and skin. In cancer, abnormal cells develop, divide, and destroy healthy tissue in the body. Some types grow slowly; others spread quickly. Each starts in different parts of the body and has its own grades, stages, and symptoms.

Because every kind of cancer is different, there's no one-size-fits-all cure. But sometimes, people may say they are cured if their cancer seems to go away with treatment. But it's not quite that simple.

We also searched for fruits that are beneficial during and after cancers. However, we could not find pineapple on the list of helping in curing cancer.

Talking about the bromelain enzyme found in pineapple, we found a study in which there is no mention of its cancer-fighting property. There is no evidence or study that proves pineapple can be beneficial in treating cancer.

NewsMeter reached out to Dr. Palanki Satya Dattatreya, Director and Chief of Medical Oncology Services at Renova Soumya Cancer Centre Karkhana. He said, "A study by a group of doctors in Taiwan had revealed that Bromelain, a group of enzymes found in the fruit and stem of pineapples, inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells (colon cancer) to multiply. Such studies are lab experiments on cell lines. A write-up on the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre clearly states that there isn't enough evidence to claim that Bromelain can significantly affect cancer in humans. Like other fruits including apples, avocados and nuts like almonds among others, pineapples are healthy. Fruits and green leafy vegetables support general health and boost immunity: Nothing more than that. While consuming pineapples and other fruits, nuts and vegetables is a healthy lifestyle habit which may help reduce the risk of cancer, it is prudent to understand that they are not equivalent to standard or approved or recommended medical therapies for any form of cancer. Hot pineapple juice is not a magic remedy for cancer and drinking it over a prolonged period does not translate to cancer prevention either. Consuming one specific food item or a "super-food" or a "cure-all pill" cannot be the mantra for curing, controlling or preventing any cancer."

Hence, it is evident that the claim is unproven and lacks any evidence backing it.

Cancer is not at all a joke. Take life seriously and don't fall prey to such seemingly fooling home remedies. Get in touch with your health expert and get treatment accordingly.

The claim is false.