Eight Fabulous Foods That Help Prevent Cancer

News Flash! All of us like to eat. Of course we do. It’s natural to enjoy good food and drink — just think of where we’d be without it. Besides pleasure and survival, food has yet another benefit. It can protect our bodies from disease and help keep them healthy and happy. For example, some foods even aide our bodies in the constant battle against cancer.

Yes, it’s true. There are some types of foods that have the ability to ward off cancer. Not miracle cures or magic shields against what is a devastating disease, but foods that can help reduce your risk of getting this disease by defending your body in ways you might not even know about. 

Here are 8 foods that have dynamic cancer-fighting properties:

1. Berries — Contain antioxidants — compounds which have been proven to protect and even repair your cells from damage that’s been linked to cancer. They also may strengthen your immune system. And that’s not all. Berries are chock full of other potential cancer-fighters like vitamin C and fiber.

Cancers they may fight — While there is no guarantee of success, it is believed that berries may help prevent the following: Skin, bladder, lung, breast, and esophageal cancer.

Ways to use: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries taste wonderful when combined with vanilla ice cream. You can also put some into yogurt, cereal and salads, or if you really get inspired bake them into muffins.

2. Grapes – The skin of grapes, or the peel — most especially the purple and red ones — contains a plant chemical called resveratrol. This is an antioxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory. There is a good chance they may stop the growth of cancer cells and even inhibit tumors.

Cancers they may fight — Liver, stomach, breast and colon.

Ways to use: As with all fruits and vegetables, thoroughly wash grapes, then freeze them for a snack at a later time. Of course you can always eat them fresh as well, and they are good in salads or mixed with cottage cheese. The obvious place to find resveratrol is, naturally, in red wine, but this isn’t recommended because it may defeat the purpose as alcohol has been linked to a higher cancer risk. 

3. Tomatoes: All tomatoes have an antioxidant called lycopene. It is what gives them their bright red color, and can protect cells from cancer damage and destroy those that aren’t growing properly.

Cancers they may fight — Breast, lung, endometrial, skin, prostate and mouth.

Ways to use: Tomatoes needn’t be eaten fresh. Cooked or processed tomato-based foods such as sauce, paste, soup, juice, and even ketchup — hold the most lycopene because heat releases more of this nutrient and enables your body to absorb it more easily.

You can also get lycopene from pink grapefruit and watermelon.

4. Cruciferous Vegetables – Examples of these vegetables are broccoli, kale and cabbage. They contain glucosinolates, crambene and indole-3-carbinol, all possible cancer fighters. As a bonus, they also contain sulforaphane, which may keep cancer from spreading by helping rid the body of carcinogens and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

Cancers they may fight — Stomach, breast, skin, mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophageal

Ways to use: Broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, Brussel sprouts and cabbage salad are good for you and good tasting. Eat the vegetables raw, but if steaming, only do so very little because they lose helpful phytochemicals when overcooked.

5. Garlic — Some very unique antioxidant phytochemicals are found in garlic. They are called allyl sulfides, and seem to help in several parts of the cancer process. At least one study has been done that offers the possibility that these compounds inhibit the formation of colon tumors and cell growth.

Cancers it may fight: Stomach, esophageal, breast, lung and colon

Ways to use: Who doesn’t know about garlic right? Using garlic in your meals is as simple as can be. Saute vegetables and put in a clove or two of garlic. It also can be added to pasta sauces and soups. Garlic salt or powder can always give extra zip to ground beef for meatloaf or hamburgers.

6. Legumes — These include peas, beans and lentils. Remember, while they may be small, they are powerful nutritional aides. They have phytochemicals within them such as saponins, protease inhibitors and phytica acid, that are uniquely different from those in vegetables and whole grains. Research has shown promising evidence that phytica acid may be able to prevent the reproduction of cancer cells. Legumes also contain fiber, which can decrease your risk of colon cancer.

Cancers they may fight: Colon and stomach, as well as some others.

Ways to use: Lentil or pea soup is always a good idea and lentils and peas go well with salads. If none of these ideas works for you, you might like to simply eat peanuts instead.

7. Whole grains – Eat lots of whole grains. It’s been proven that people who consume a lot of whole grains have a lower risk of cancer than those who eat little or none. But it must be whole grains. Refined grains don’t have the bran and germ layers, which are filled with antioxidants and other nutrients. Another benefit of whole grains is that they also contain fiber, which may produce substances in the colon that protect cells from cancer-causing agents.

Cancers they may fight: Breast, colon and stomach.

Ways to use: Switch to whole wheat bread and use whole wheat flour for baking. Eat wild rice or brown rice with meals.

8. Dark-green leafy vegetables: These contain folate and carotenoids both of which are very important. Cartenoids are antioxidants that aid cell-to-cell communication that controls cell growth, while folate is vital for protecting our DNA.

Cancers they may fight: Breast, skin, lung, stomach, mouth, pharynx and larynx.

Ways to use: Spinach omelets are excellent and forget about iceberg lettuce in salads. Use spinach, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce and Swiss chard instead.