Spinach Protects Against Skin Cancer

Australian medical researchers say eating green, leafy vegetables such as spinach may help prevent skin cancer.

The Queensland Institute of Medical Research released a report on an 11-year study of 1,000 people on the state’s Sunshine Coast, which found that eating at least three servings of leafy vegetables a week reduced the risk of skin cancer up to 55 percent.

The report’s author, Dr. Jolieke van der Pols, said the findings highlight the importance of a healthy diet.

The message is: diet may play a role, but importantly in addition to usual protection measures such as hats, sunscreen and protective clothing, to boost the skin’s defenses against sun damage, she said.