Studies show that barley grass extracts might
possibly protect human cells against cancer-causing elements, Drugs.com
reports. Research indicates that the chlorophyll content in barley
grass interacts with carcinogens and causes them to become inactive.
Aside from this, barley grass also has antioxidant properties.
Superoxide dismutase, a chemical in barley grass and green barley juice,
blocks the harmful effects of free radicals and radiation on your body,
thereby reducing the risk of cancer.
Antioxidants and Cancer
Antioxidants such as those found in barley
grass help to fight against cancer since they prevent free radicals from
damaging the body’s DNA. However, recent research paints a
contradictory picture, as Cancer Research UK reports. Harvard Medical
School researchers testing breast cells found that antioxidants actually
helped to keep cancer cells alive. This finding was countered by a
clinical study in 2011, which showed that antioxidant medication could
help to stave off cancer cells at the genetic level, as Science Daily
noted. This conflict in results seems to suggest that the relationship
between antioxidants and cancer is much more complex than it may seem.
