Your chance of contracting chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer can be significantly impacted by what you consume. It has been demonstrated that your diet significantly impacts cancer development in particular. Many meals contain healthy ingredients that might slow the spread of cancer. Research shows that a higher intake of particular foods may be linked to lower disease risk.
A healthy, balanced diet can reduce your risk of developing cancer and improve your general health. An anticancer diet is a key method to lower your risk of cancer. Foods rich in anti-inflammatory chemicals and disease-fighting antioxidants, which shield cells from oxidants, which destroy cells, have been demonstrated to help prevent cancer. The anticancer Society advises eating the correct food to maintain a healthy weight and getting at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Which Foods have Less Risk of Cancer?
Here is a list of some nutritious foods that fight cancer:
Broccoli
Sulforaphane, a plant chemical in cruciferous vegetables that may have significant anticancer activities, is anticancer of broccoli. According to anticancer research, Sulforaphane decreased the size and quantity of breast cancer cells by up to 75%.
Similarly, according to an animal study, sulforaphane treatment reduced tumor size in mice by more than 50% and assisted in the death of prostate cancer cells. Higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli has also been related to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer in certain studies.
Eating more cruciferous vegetables was linked to a lower risk of colorectal and colon cancer, according to one review of 35 research. Including broccoli in a few of your meals, each week may help prevent cancer. However, the currently available research hasn’t specifically examined how broccoli can affect cancer in people.
Carrots
According to several studies, more carrot consumption has been related to a lower risk of developing several cancers. For instance, a review of five research findings found that consuming carrots may lower the incidence of stomach cancer by up to 26%. According to a different study, eating more carrots was linked to an 18% lower risk of prostate cancer.
In one study, 1,266 participants had their diets examined with and without lung cancer. It was discovered that compared to people who ate carrots more than once a week, current smokers who did not consume carrots had a threefold increased risk of developing lung cancer.
To enhance your consumption and perhaps lower your risk of cancer, try to include carrots in your diet occasionally as a delightful side dish or a nutritious snack. However, keep in mind that while these studies suggest a link between eating carrots and cancer, they fail to consider other potential contributing factors.
Beans
Due to their high fiber content, beans may help prevent colorectal cancer, according to certain studies. According to one study, those who ate more cooked, dried beans tended to have a lower risk of tumor recurrence. Additionally, a study on animals revealed that giving rats navy or black beans before causing colon cancer prevented the growth of cancer cells by as much as 75%. The participants in this study, 1,905 persons with a history of colon cancers, were tracked.
These findings suggest that eating a few servings of beans each week may help you consume more fiber and reduce your cancer risk. However, the current body of knowledge is restricted to animal research and studies demonstrating connection but not causality. To explicitly investigate this in humans, more research is required.
Berries
Berries include significant levels of anthocyanins and plant pigments with antioxidant characteristics that may lower cancer risk. One human trial involved 25 patients with colorectal cancer who received bilberry extract for seven days. It was discovered that this treatment slowed the growth of cancer cells by 7%. Another small trial revealed that giving freeze-dried black raspberries to patients with oral cancer reduced levels of several cancer-related indicators.
According to one animal study, feeding freeze-dried black raspberries decreased the incidence of esophageal tumors by up to 54% and the number of tumors by up to 62%. Similarly, another animal study revealed that giving rats berry extract inhibited several cancer indicators. These results suggest that consuming a serving or two of berries daily may help prevent cancer growth.
Cinnamon
One of cinnamon’s many health advantages is its capacity to lower blood sugar and alleviate inflammation. Additionally, some research on animals and test tubes suggest that cinnamon may prevent the spread of cancer cells. Cinnamon extract was shown to stop the spread of cancer cells and cause their death in a test-tube investigation.
Another test-tube investigation revealed that cinnamon essential oil dramatically decreased tumor size and inhibited the proliferation of head and neck cancer cells. A study on animals also showed that cinnamon extract caused the death of tumor cells and slowed the growth and spread of malignancies.
Consuming 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2-4 grams) of cinnamon daily may help prevent cancer and have additional health advantages like lowering blood sugar and reducing inflammation. More research is required to grasp how cinnamon might influence human cancer development fully.
Nuts
According to research, eating nuts may reduce your risk of developing some cancers. For instance, a study that examined the diets of 19,386 individuals discovered that consuming more nuts was linked to a lower chance of dying from cancer. Another study indicated that eating nuts frequently was linked to a lower risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers.
This study followed 30,708 participants for up to 30 years. According to other studies, a lower risk of cancer may be associated with a certain variety of nuts. For instance, Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, which may aid patients with low selenium levels in staving off lung cancer. Similar results were found in an animal experiment, where feeding mice walnuts lowered the growth rate of breast cancer cells by 80% and the number of tumors by 60%.
These findings imply that increasing your daily nut intake may lower your cancer risk. More research on humans is still required to ascertain whether nuts are to blame for this connection or whether other factors are at play.
Olive Oil
Given all of its health advantages, it makes sense that olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet. Researchers have also discovered that consuming more olive oil may help prevent cancer. People who ingested the most olive oil had a decreased chance of acquiring breast cancer and cancer of the digestive system than those who consumed the least, according to an extensive evaluation of 19 research.
Another study that examined the cancer rates in 28 nations discovered that regions with higher use of olive oil had lower risks of colorectal cancer. To benefit from olive oil’s health advantages, replace other oils in your diet. You can use it in marinades for meat, fish, or poultry or drizzle it over salads and grilled vegetables. These studies suggest a link between the use of olive oil and cancer, but other factors may also be at play. The direct effects of olive oil on human cancer require further research.
Turmeric
Spices like turmeric are well-known for their ability to improve health. The chemical’s primary component, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Anticancer effects of curcumin were examined on anticancertients with potentially malignant tumors in their colons. Four grams of curcumin taken every day for 30 days reduced the number of lesions by 40%. By targeting an enzyme linked to cancer growth, curcumin was also discovered in a test-tube study to lessen the spread of colon cancer cells.
Curcumin was shown to aid in the death of head and neck cancer cells in a different test-tube investigation.
Other test-tube experiments have demonstrated the efficacy of curcumin in reducing the growth of breast, prostate, and lung cancer cells. Aim for at least 1/2 to 3 teaspoons (1-3 grams) of ground turmeric daily for the best outcomes. Combine it with black pepper to increase its absorption, and use it as a ground spice to add flavor to the cuisine.
Citrus Fruits
In certain studies, eating citrus fruits, including lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges, has been linked to lower cancer risk. According to a significant study, those who consumed more citrus fruits had a lower incidence of upper and lower respiratory tract malignancies. According to nine studies, increased consumption of citrus fruits was connected to a lower risk of pancreatic cancer.
Finally, a meta-analysis of 14 trials found that eating citrus fruit frequently—at least three servings per week—decreased the incidence of stomach cancer by 28%. According to this research, consuming a few servings of citrus fruits each week may reduce your risk of getting some cancers. More research is required to determine how citrus fruits directly influence the onset of cancer. Remember that other potential contributing factors are not considered in these investigations.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed can be a heart-healthy addition to your diet since it is high in fiber and heart-healthy lipids. According to certain studies, it may even aid in suppressing cancer cell proliferation. In one trial, 32 breast cancer patients received a flaxseed muffin daily or a placebo for more than a month. After the trial, the flaxseed group showed higher levels of cancer cell death and lower levels of particular markers that assess tumor progression.
In a different study, flaxseed was given to 161 men with prostate cancer, and it was discovered that doing so slowed the growth and spread of the cancerous cells. According to other research, flaxseed contains a lot of fiber, which is thought to protect against colorectal cancer. Consider including one tablespoon (10 grams) of ground flaxseed in your diet each day by blending it into smoothies, adding it to cereal and yogurt, or baking with it.
References: The effect of diet on the risk of cancer
About 30% of cancer cases in affluent nations are estimated to be caused by diet-related variables. Cancers of the esophagus, colon, breast, endometrial, and kidney are all made more likely by obesity. Alcohol somewhat increases breast cancer risk and causes malignancies of the liver, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, and oral cavity. Consuming enough fruit and vegetables may reduce your risk of numerous gastrointestinal cancers. It is still unclear how important other components like meat, fiber, and vitamins are. The prudent course of action is to limit alcohol use, consume a diversified diet with lots of fruit, vegetables, and grains, and engage in regular physical activity to maintain a healthy weight.
Conclusion
As new data keeps coming out, it is obvious that your food can significantly impact your cancer risk. Although numerous foods may slow the spread and development of cancer cells, the most available evidence is from test-tube, animal, and observational studies. More research is required to understand how certain foods might directly influence human cancer development. A diet high in whole foods combined with a healthy lifestyle will undoubtedly enhance many elements of your health in the meantime.
