When it comes to our overall well-being, the food we consume plays a key role. Through our diet, we provide our body with the essential nutrients, vitamins, fibre, and energy to get through the day.
The Standard American Diet (SAD), is “believed to contribute to the health challenges experienced in the United States, including cancer.”
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, only about 8% of the standard American diet consists of protective foods.
The truth is that no food by itself can help in the fight against cancer, but there are several foods that are believed to help preventing it.
“Research tells us that making healthy food choices consistently over time can reduce your risk of getting cancer, but you can’t say with absolute certainty that food can prevent cancer,” says wellness dietitian Lindsey Wohlford. “There are no guarantees.”
1. Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are a diverse group of vegetables belonging to the family Brassicaceae, also called ‘Cruciferae,’ that are believed to have cancer-preventive properties. Vegetables belonging to this group are radish, arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, daikon, and turnips, among the rest.
These are rich in isothiocyanates, compounds that reduce inflammation and deactivate cancer-causing chemicals.
Consuming these vegetables helps lowering the risks of developing certain types of cancer, including breast, esophageal, oral, and kidney cancers.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric is yet another plant that is so versatile that it’s found its way not only in the cuisines of many countries, but also in the cosmetic industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and more.
Among the rest, turmeric contains protective compounds, including curcumin, has anti-oxidant properties that may help the body combat inflammation, can help ease arthritis, can help limit the growth of cancerous cells, protects cells from damage, and reduces the signs of ageing.
3. Mushrooms
A study conducted on 36 thousand participants over several decades showed that incorporating mushrooms in the diet helps reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Mushrooms are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, in particular L-ergothioneine, thought to help reduce oxidative stress.
Another study suggest mushrooms may help prevent breast cancer, likely due to compounds like glutathione, ergothioneine, and polysaccharides. Medicinal varieties like reishi, turkey tail, shiitake, and maitake boost antitumor immunity, with turkey tail’s PK polysaccharide aiding cancer therapy.
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4. Allium Vegetables
Onions, shallots, leeks, and garlic are anti-cancer foods said to prevent certain cancers such as colon cancer and other cancers related to the gut.
According to a research, onion and garlic possess “promising biological activities that are indicative of their potential as potent antioxidant and anticancer agents.”
5. Wakame
Wakame is an edible type of seaweed that is believed to suppress the growth of breast cancer, colon cancer, and kidney cancer cells. The research showing these results has been performed in a lab using animals, so its properties on humans are yet to be researched.
Also, wakame contains around 42mcg of iodine per serving.
6. Lycopene-Rich Foods
Lycopene is a phytochemical, or a biologically active chemical found in plants. Since it’s not produced within the body, it’s not considered neither a vitamin nor mineral.
According to Hope Barkoukis, Ph.D., chair of the department of nutrition at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH, lycopene is a potent antioxidant. “This means it can reduce the presence of harmful compounds in your body called free radicals.”
Diet rich in foods that contain lycopene, such as tomatoes and watermelons, may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.
7. Beta Carotene-Rich Foods
Beta-carotene rich foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and other yellow-orange fruits and vegetables.
Their consumption on preventing cancer is yet to be researched further.
8. Fatty Fish
Research indicates that other anti-cancer foods include fatty fish like albacore tuna, salmon, herring, mussels, anchovies, and sardines. If consumed weekly, they may help lower cancer risk. This is likely due to their high vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids, thought to help prevent disease, including cancer.
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