What people eat has a large effect on their health. Some foods have even been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Here's a guide to some of the latest research on foods that fight cancer.
Fruits and Vegetables as a Natural Cancer Treatment
Fruits contain antioxidants and flavonoids components that help protect genes from the damage that leads to cancer. Some of the highest levels of these chemical components are found in berries, grapes, apples and citrus fruits. High intake of vitamin C in particular has been shown to halve the risk of cancer. Vitamin C is prevalent in oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruits.
Vegetables are the powerhouse of a cancer prevention diet. People who consume three or more servings of vegetables a day were shown to have a lower risk of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This study included all kinds of vegetables, but other research has narrowed down some specific veggies that might do the most good.
Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, seem to be especially potent in the dietary fight against cancer, with one study by Roswell Park Cancer Institute researchers presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Sixth Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention showing that three or more servings a month is enough to reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 40%.
More Foods in a Cancer Prevention Diet
While fruits and vegetables get the most press for fighting cancer, there are plenty of other foods that can help keep people cancer-free, too.
- Insoluble fiber – the kind found in whole grains and cereals – has different phytochemicals than fruits and vegetables, but is equally as beneficial. At least one serving of insoluble fiber a day (such as a bowl of oatmeal or a slice of whole grain bread) can help reduce the risk.
- Beans – One recent study found that eating beans or lentils at least twice a week reduced the risk of breast cancer by 24%. The active compound in beans, inositol pentakisphosphate, has been shown to have powerful anti-cancer activity.
- Fats – While a low fat diet is advocated for cancer prevention, not all fats are bad. Olive oil, for example, contains a powerful compound that keeps breast cancer from turning aggressive. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in naturally fatty fish such as salmon, albacore tuna and herring, are another type of fat that offers protection from cancer.
- Drinks – Red wine offers the cancer-fighting benefits of resveratrol, which actually helps the body rid itself of precancerous cells. Green tea is another great choice for a cancer prevention diet, since it contains loads of catechins, compounds with a lot of anti-cancer properties. Avoid drinking tea that's too hot, though, because drinking very hot tea can increase the risk of throat cancer. One recent study found that tea should be 65°C or less to avoid the risk.
- Chocolate – The best news of all may be a study that found anti-cancer components in dark chocolate. Scientists at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University discovered that chocolate contains anti-cancer compounds. No one is recommending a chocolate binge at this point, but having an occasional piece of dark chocolate or mug of hot cocoa may be a pleasant way to add some anti-cancer properties to dessert.
Food can be a powerful medicine for preventing cancer and with such tasty options, it isn’t hard to include a few foods every day that not only taste good, but also keep you healthy and cancer-free.
For more information on a cancer-fighting diet, check out these articles:
Healthy Spices that Fight Cancer
Vegetables and a Cancer Prevention Diet
Sources:
Jack Challem, “Feed Your Genes Right”
G Block . Vitamin C and cancer prevention: the epidemiologic evidence. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 53, 270S-282S
American Association for Cancer Research's Sixth Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention
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