[CH] Gallbladder Risk from Red Chiles
George Nelson (70431.3065@compuserve.com)
Wed, 11 Dec 2002 22:49:41 -0500
The study relates greater than 20 gram intake of red chile to increased
gallbladder cancer risk. The major risk seems to be people living in
poverty and also in the country Chile. Fresh fruit consumption mitigates
against it. This means flavonoids are probably involved in the protective
effect rather than ascorbate (Vitamin C). Both red chiles and fruit would
be expected to supply ascorbate which should be protective. While there is
less ascorbate in red chiles and even less in dried red chiles than in
green chiles, capsicums have a very high ascorbate content. There may be
some cultural practice, like frying the chiles in oil, causing the gall
bladder effect.
Red chile in a salsa or in a sauce made from tomatoes or mangos or
tomatillos just might not increase the risk then, but whatever the poor
folk do in Chile does increase the risk.
What do they do in Chile to chile?
George Nelson