According to the World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. However, there are many things that you can do to reduce your risk of cancer, including eating a healthy diet. Your diet, in particular, may have a lot of influence on several aspects of your health, including your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Cancer development, in particular, has been shown to be influenced by what you eat. These foods are high in antioxidants and other nutrients that may help your body avoid cancer. There are also scientific studies indicating that a higher intake of certain meals might be linked to a reduced risk of cancer.
This post will look at the research and discuss ten foods that may decrease your risk of cancer.
What is cancer?
Cancer is a group of diseases that cause cells in the body to grow and divide uncontrollably. Cancerous cells can spread through the body and invade other healthy tissues, which can eventually lead to death.
There are many different types of cancer, with each type having different causes, symptoms and treatments. However, all types of cancer share one common feature: the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue in the body, which is why it is such a serious disease. While there are many different factors that can contribute to cancer development, diet is one that you can control. Eating a healthy diet with plenty of cancer-fighting foods may help reduce your risk of developing the disease.
Top 10 cancer-fighting foods
There are many different foods that have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. Here are ten of the best:
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Broccoli
Broccoli contains a chemical called sulforaphane, which is found in Cruciferous vegetables and has been shown to have cytotoxic activity.
Test-tube research revealed that sulforaphane reduced the size and number of breast cancer cells by up to 75%. Another study discovered that feeding mice with sulforaphane halted prostate cancer cells and decreased tumor size by more than 50%. A higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, according to certain research, may be linked to a decreased incidence of colorectal cancer. According to one study of 35 research, eating more cruciferous vegetables was linked to a decreased risk of colorectal and colon cancer.
Broccoli, on the other hand, has been shown to help prevent cancer. However, including broccoli with a few of your meals per week may provide some anti-cancer advantages. However, bear in mind that no study has looked at how broccoli may affect human cancer specifically. However, the research has been exclusively limited to test-tube, animal, and observational studies that either looked at the effects of cruciferous vegetables or a specific chemical in broccoli. As a result, further investigation is required.
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Carrots
Carrots are high in antioxidants and other nutrients, which may help to prevent cancer. Several studies have linked consumption of carrots to a decreased risk of different sorts of cancers.
For example, a study of five research found that consuming carrots reduces the risk of stomach cancer by up to 26%. Carrots, according to another analysis, were linked with a 18% reduced risk of prostate cancer. The diets of 1,266 people with and without lung cancer were compared in a 2015 study. Carrots were linked to a 3.5 times higher chance of developing lung cancer among current smokers who didn’t eat carrots daily.
To increase your intake and potentially reduce your risk of cancer, try eating carrots as a healthy snack or flavorful side dish just a few times each week. Nonetheless, keep in mind that these researches indicate a link between carrot consumption and cancer, but they don’t take other variables into account.
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Green tea
Drink up to a half-gallon of green tea each day, cold or hot, regardless of whether or not you take in caffeine. (Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG] and catechins, which are as powerful against cancer cells as they are difficult to pronounce.) Green tea also includes epigallocate. Given the amount of salt in Japanese diets, it’s no surprise that stomach and lung cancer rates are so high. Furthermore, given all the carcinogenic salty meals and cigarettes available in Japan, stomach and lung cancer rates would almost certainly be even higher.
It’s nearly difficult to obtain genuine green tea in the United States. You’ll get a mix of teas (sugar, water, and someone whispering the words “green tea” over the bottle) or simply green tea drink (a combination of teas to balance out that natural bitterness in green tea). Green tea from Japan has the most powerful flavor; and many varieties are available in Asian shops, with the finest brands being packaged in boxes that you can’t read. Black teas also lose beneficial catechins during fermentation, as well as catechins during washing.
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Berries
Berries are high in anthocyanins, plant pigments that have antioxidant properties and may be linked to a lower risk of cancer. In one human trial, bilberry extract was given to 25 persons with colorectal cancer for seven days, and the growth of cancer cells was reduced by 7%. A lesser study gave freeze-dried black raspberries to patients with oral cancer and discovered that it reduced indicators of cancer progression.
Freeze-dried black raspberries decreased the incidence of esophageal tumors in rats by up to 54% and reduced the number of tumors by up to 62%, according to one animal study. Another research revealed that a berry extract inhibited several cancer biomarkers in rats. According to the researchers, eating a serving or two of berries each day may help prevent cancer. Keep in mind that these are animal and observation studies looking at the effects of a high concentration of berry extract, and more human research is needed.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is well-known for its health advantages, including the ability to reduce blood sugar and relieve inflammation. Finally, cinnamon has been found in test-tube and animal studies to aid in the prevention of cancer cell spread. Cinnamon extract was found to reduce the spread of cancer cells and cause their death in a test-tube study.
Cinnamon essential oil was also found to have a powerful effect on brain cancer cells in test tubes, suggesting that it may be useful for treating the disease. It reduced tumor size by half and significantly reduced the number of cancerous cells. A study on mice found that cinnamon extract caused cell death in tumor cells and slowed the growth and spread of tumors.
1/2–1 teaspoon (2–4 grams) of cinnamon per day, which is equivalent to 1/8–1/4 teaspoon (0.5–1 gram), might help prevent cancer and may have additional advantages such as lower blood sugar levels and decreased inflammation. However, additional research is needed to determine how cinnamon affects human cancer development.
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Nuts
Nuts have been shown in studies to help prevent various types of cancer. A study reviewed the diets of 19,386 people and determined that consuming more nuts was linked to a decreased risk of cancer death. For example, one study followed 30,708 individuals for up to 30 years and found that eating nuts frequently was linked to a lower risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers.
According to other research, certain kinds of nuts may be linked to a decreased cancer risk. Selenium, for example, is abundant in Brazil nuts and may help prevent lung cancer in individuals with a low selenium status. Similarly, in one animal study, eating walnuts slowed the growth rate of breast cancer cells by 80% and reduced the number of tumors by 60%.
According to these findings, including a serving of nuts in your diet every day may help you avoid cancer. However, there is still need for further research in humans to assess whether nuts are linked to this link.
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Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that is well-known for its health-promoting qualities. Curcumin, the active component, is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and even anticancer substance.
In one study, curcumin was tested on a group of 44 individuals with colon lesion tumors that might have become cancerous. After 30 days, 4 grams of curcumin per day reduced the number of lesions by 40%. In a test-tube experiment, curcumin was also found to inhibit the spread of colon cancer cells by inhibiting a specific enzyme that is important in tumor development. A laboratory test-tube experiment revealed that curcumin helped eliminate head and neck cancer cells.
In addition, curcumin has been shown to be effective in reducing the growth of lung, breast, and prostate cancer cells in test-tube studies. For the best effects, consume at least 1/2–3 teaspoons (1–3 grams) of ground turmeric every day. Use it as a Ground spice to add taste to meals and combine it with black pepper to increase absorption.
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Citrus fruits
In some research, eating citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer.
A single study discovered that individuals who ate more citrus fruits had a decreased risk of developing digestive and upper respiratory tract cancers. According to a review of nine studies, citrus fruit consumption was linked to a decreased risk of pancreatic cancer. Finally, a meta-analysis of 14 studies revealed that citrus fruit consumption (three or more servings per week) reduced stomach cancer risk by 28%.
Several studies have shown that eating a few fruits from the citrus family each week can lower your risk of developing various types of cancer. Keep in mind that these studies don’t include other variables. Additional research is required on how citrus fruits affect cancer development in particular.
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Tomatoes
Lycopene is a chemical element found in tomatoes that gives the fruit its bright crimson color as well as anti-cancer effects.
An increased intake of lycopene and tomatoes has been linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer in several research. A study of 17 research revealed that a greater consumption of raw tomatoes, cooked tomatoes, and lycopene was all linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer. A study of 47,365 individuals revealed that a greater tomato sauce consumption was linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer.
Adding tomatoes to your meals is a simple way to increase your intake. Add them to sandwiches, salads, sauces, or pasta dishes for additional tomato flavor. However, keep in mind that these researches reveal a link between eating tomatoes and a decreased risk of prostate cancer, but they don’t take into account other elements that may be at play.
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Garlic
Garlic contains allicin, a chemical compound that has been studied in laboratory experiments and found to destroy cancer cells. Garlic has been linked to a decreased risk of several types of cancer in several research.
Those who ate a lot of Allium vegetables, such as garlic, onions, leeks and shallots, had a decreased incidence of stomach cancer than those who rarely ate them, according to one study of 543,220 individuals. Research of 471 males discovered that garlic consumption was linked to a decreased chance of prostate cancer.
Garlic has been shown to reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer in several studies. Garlic, fruit, deep yellow veggies, dark green veggies, and onions were linked to a decreased risk of colorectal cancer in people who consumed a lot of them. Garlic was not studied alone in this study. According to the results, including 2–5 grams (about one clove) of fresh garlic into your diet each day can help you reap the health benefits of garlic. Despite the promising findings, more research is required to discover whether other factors are involved.
Takeaway
Although many studies have been conducted to determine whether diet can help prevent cancer, the results are still preliminary. The majority of the research cited in cells or mice was conducted by scientists. It is also critical to remember that a healthy diet that is high in fresh fruits, vegetables, and good fats can promote general health.