Super Foods Blog

The top ten cancer preventing foods

Does diet play a role in the prevention and treatment of cancer? In today’s world, it is becoming increasingly clear that diet does play a pivotal role in preventing and treating many diseases. Maybe it was harder for medical scientists in the west to see that it was so but today, more and more of them are acknowledging this to be true. This is especially so when it comes to cancer. Let’s take a look at the foods that are thought to be good cancer fighters.

Tomatoes head the pack. They contain strong antioxidants which not only prevent cell damage by free radicals in the body but also repair the damage caused to the cells. These free radicals are a part of the aging process in our bodies and unfortunately they run amok if they are not contained. Antioxidants act as the guardians of good health in our bodies.

Then come blueberries. Again, rich in antioxidants, that magic word again. The fact that they are blue is significant as purple and blue fruits are said to improve memory, lower the risk of some cancers, retard the aging process and make the urinary tract function healthy. The phenolics and the phytochemicals, the compounds in blueberries, are in the process of being studied for their many benefits.

Red is also a great color to choose when it comes to cancer fighters. Red cabbage happens to be a rich source of calcium as well as flavonoids which give it its rich color and contain antioxidants. In fact red cabbage is the richest source of flavonoids. Also effective in the fight against cancer are cauliflower, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and bok choy.

There’s more red with red beets. Like red cabbage, they are also full of flavonoids and have a lot of antioxidant properties as well as nutrients. These are also very good in fighting cancer.

Spinach is also a full-of-nutrition cancer fighter. This dark green leafy vegetable contains rich sources of beta carotene and vitamin C, both of which are very powerful in antioxidant activity which keeps cancer at bay. Spinach also contains folic acid which is of great benefit to women when they are pregnant. Spinach, when it is served up twice or thrice a week can reduce incidences of lung and breast cancer.

Does garlic live up to its traditional formidable reputation? Studies have shown that it does and more. Garlic with its pungent sulfur content is a great protector. It reduces the growth of tumors in the body and also minimizes the effects of cancer causing compounds. It really is a great addition to one’s diet for general wellbeing.

Breast cancer and heart disease, especially in women, seem to be absent or less likely to occur when women include a lot of whole wheat in their diet. Is it the fiber that does it? There are a lot of options available today as far as this food is concerned by way of breads, pastas and cereals.

And of course to get your daily vitamin C, that powerful antioxidant, you just cannot forget the orange. Full of goodness, it is a great cancer fighter as well as it contains 170 phytochemicals which are anticancer compounds.

Add strawberries to your diet and cut your cancer risk by 70% is what a recent study threw up. This is also true of other berries with a deep color.

All kinds of beans are packed with anticancer properties. Beans contain protease inhibitors which make it very difficult for cancer cells to enter the body. Of all the beans, fava beans are said to be able to block cancer compounds in the digestive tract while soybeans block them in the breast. Beans are great for overall health.

Of course simple foods are not going to cure cancer. These are simply some of the best foods for preventing cancer and supplementing medical treatment for those with cancer.

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