Listen Up, Mimosa Drinkers: Scientists Find Link Between Citrus Consumption and Skin Cancer
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Mimosa fans, beware: In a study of over 100,000 Americans, published Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers discovered an unexpected link between high citrus consumption and the risk of melanoma, the Washington Post reports.
The researchers looked at individuals’ consumption of whole grapefruit and orange juice in particular and found that those who downed 1.6 servings daily (a serving was six ounces of OJ or half a grapefruit) were 36 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who didn’t consume so much citrus.
As the authors explain, the link could have something to do with the high levels of furocoumarins found in citrus plants. For the non-science-speaking among us, those are photoactive substances produced by plants that have been known to make skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Though the lead author of the study says the findings suggest that those who love their grapefruit and OJ should be wary of hanging out in the sun for too long, the American Society of Clinical Oncology says the findings are intriguing but not necessarily enough for you to ditch you daily OJ habit quite yet.
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