A new study from the University of California Irvine suggests that a diet rich in grapes may help reduce the risk of colon cancer. This form of cancer, which is the third most common form, kills a half a million people worldwide each year.

Using a freeze-dried grape powder mixed with water in place of actual grapes, researchers had volunteers consume 80g worth of the mix. After a mere two weeks, biopsies were taken and, amazingly, the researchers found that the genes responsible for colon cancer cell growth had been reduced by 47 percent in healthy tissue.

This study followed up on previous in vitro studies showing resveratol, an antioxidant found in grapes, blocks cellular signaling pathways that lead to the development of colon cancer.