Cancer Fighting Antioxident Found in Hops

There’s no question that the holidays are a joyous time of festivities and merry-making but, on a much darker note, it’s also the time of year that I find myself reflecting on loved ones lost (or sick) the most. There has been an amazing amount of cancer in my life, especially in the last few years – my mom and aunt are both recovering from breast cancer, my girlfriend’s 18 year old sister is going through chemo therapy right now for lymphoma, I lost a brother-in-law to brain cancer in 2005 and my paternal grandfather to cancer a few years before that.

With that in mind, the news which surfaced today could really not have come at a better time, as far as my psyche is concerned. Its being reported that scientists have found a powerful antioxidant inside the hops cone called Xanthohumol or Xan. According to Dr. Markus Herrmann, Xanthohumol has been shown to be a very active ingredient in the fight against cancer.

This particular antioxidant essentially blocks a common family of enzymes that can activate the growth of cancer cells. In addition, it also helps the body detoxify carcinogens, stopping tumor growth at an early stage. The studies, which were done at Oregon State University, show Xan can kill breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

Lastly, the researchers have found that the darker the beer you drink is, the better it is for you. I personally cannot think of better beer news to have surfaced in a long, long time. At least, as I sit back and reflect with a beer this holiday season, I’ll be doing myself some good. Happy Holidays.

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