The Benefits Of Salicylates

Salicylates by Jane Thurnell-Read

Salicylates have had a bad reputation among many practitioners ever since they were linked to hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder by Dr Ben Feingold, but research by Professor John Burn of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, suggests a positive role for them.

Salicylates are widely found in green vegetables and fruit, and have a positive role in maintaining the plant’s health. When a leaf or fruit becomes bruised, damaged or infected, the plant produces salicylates to localise the infection and ensure that it does not affect the rest of the plant.

Fruit and vegetables now generally have low level of salicylates as only “perfect” fruit and vegetables reach our supermarket shelves, so that the levels of salicylates in our diet are lower than they’ve ever been.

In terms of the Feingold diet this may seem like a good thing, but salicylates have been shown to have a beneficial effect in the prevention of colon cancer. Research has shown that aspirin (a form of salicylates) is protective against colon cancer and has a whole host of other benefits. (Incidentally, a lot of the beneficial effects of aspirin are because they affect prostaglandin activity - see Body Biochemicals test kit 5 for more information on this.)

Please note, though, that I am not advocating that we should routinely take aspirin! I think there are much healthier ways of achieving the same results.

Professor Burns thinks that one possible reason for the increase in colon cancer is the fact that we no longer regularly eat bruised and damaged fruit and vegetables with their high levels of salicylates.

This is yet another example of how our over-sanitised world is leading to ill health rather than good health.

If you've enjoyed this article, click here to read an article on salvestrols.