Enjoying a healthy diet can do much to lower your risk of developing serious diseases such as cancer. Including foods in your diet such as plenty of green leafy vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, and oily fish can help prevent many health issues. Although no single food can stop cancer, consuming more “cancer-fighting foods” in your diet can help reduce your risk of developing the disease.
The best foods in a cancer prevention diet contain vitamins and antioxidants that help to strengthen your immune system. The cancer protection diet benefits come from combining a variety of foods that have anticancer properties.
There is also a lot of scientific data on foods that fight cancer. Natural cancer-fighting compounds such as lycopene, phytochemicals, carotenoids, sulfur, and fiber are found in many foods. Eating the right combination of these anti-cancer foods can make a difference in helping to prevent diseases such as cancer.
In this article, you will learn about the best cancer-killing foods and spices that are backed up by scientific research. You will also find out how to use these foods in your cancer prevention diet to keep yourself as healthy as possible.
The Link Between Diet and Cancer Prevention
Many doctors agree that diet and cancer are closely linked and there are many foods that help reduce your cancer risk.
Proven Health Benefits of Dates (Dried, Fresh, Medjool) – Science Based
Read More
Proven Health Benefits of Dates (Dried, Fresh, Medjool) – Science Based
The Nutrition Journal published research on the benefits of an anti-cancer diet. Research has shown that dietary choices could play a role in reducing the risk of cancer by up to 40%. Foods containing vitamins C and D, selenium, chlorophyll, and antioxidants have all been linked to cancer prevention. (1)
Some scientific evidence also points to the fact that including cancer fighting superfoods such as broccoli sprouts in your diet is very beneficial.
What are the basic principles of the “cancer diet” to reduce your risk of the disease? The cancer prevention diet should consist of multiple servings of fruits and vegetables daily, increasing your fiber intake, and consuming essential fatty acids. It is also important to cut out red meat, refined carbohydrates, and added sugar. (1)
Let’s look in more detail at some of the best cancer-fighting foods you should include in your diet.
Green Leafy Vegetables and the Cancer Diet
The best diet to prevent cancer should include plenty of green leafy vegetables for their high antioxidant content.
Research has uncovered that vegetables such as kale, rocket, and greens from root vegetables contain powerful antioxidants. For example, green leafy veggies contain compounds such as lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene that are linked to a lower risk of cancer. (2)
The results of one cohort study showed that increasing the consumption of green leafy vegetables could lower the risk of ovarian cancer by 56%. (3)
Another reason why green leafy vegetables are in the cancer prevention diet is that they contain chlorophyll. One study found that chlorophyll from green vegetables can help reduce the risk of colon cancer. (4)
Increasing your consumption of vegetables and cutting out red meat can also help you lose weight which is also linked to cancer prevention. One study found that losing weight can help obese women lower their risk of endometrial cancer. (5)
Eating spinach helps to cut your cancer risk
Spinach contains cancer prevention compounds called glycoglycerolipids. Studies have shown that these therapeutic compounds help prevent DNA damage and can help reduce the risk of certain cancers. (6)
Spinach also contains beta-carotene and vitamin A which have been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. (7)
Cruciferous Vegetables to Help Prevent Cancer
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts should be part of your anti-cancer diet plan.
Research has shown that vegetables belonging to the Brassicaceae family have cancer prevention properties. Cruciferous veggies contain chemo-preventive properties that can reduce your risk of developing cancer. (8)
Some studies have shown that the compound sulforaphane found in cruciferous vegetables has been linked to lowering the risk of breast, liver, lung, and colon cancer. (9)
Consume kale on an anti-cancer diet
A systematic review of 31 studies on the benefits of cruciferous vegetables in a diet to prevent cancer reported that kale is among the best cancer-fighting foods. Compounds in kale help to inhibit the activity of certain carcinogens and prevent damage to DNA. (10)
Research published in 2017 found that compounds in kale have a protective effect on human liver cells. This anti-cancer effect of kale helps protect the body against the damage toxins can cause. (11)
Kale has many other health benefits which make it a true superfood.
