Cancer Fighting Foods

We all know that we should eat healthily but the term cancer-fighting foods is slightly misleading as no foods can completely protect people from cancer. More accurately, there are foods that may lower the risk of developing cancer if a person adds them to their diet. This is partly because they may help someone to keep a healthy weight or lose weight.

What you eat day to day overall is more important than individual foods for reducing cancer risk. A balanced diet will include:

• fruit and vegetables
• wholegrains (such as brown rice or wholegrain bread)
• healthy sources of protein like fresh chicken, fish or pulses (such as lentils or beans)

Foods to keep to a minimum include red meat, sugary foods and highly processed foods.

American researchers have begun to isolate ingredients in some recommended foods that may be able to reduce cancer risks.  It must be stressed, however, that this research is still at an early stage.

Apples: contain polyphenols, plant-based compounds, that have promising anticancer properties and some research suggests the compounds may have tumour fighting properties.

Berries: are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibres, but some also contain sulforaphane, a plant compound with anticancer properties.

Vegetables: such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, known as Cruciferous vegetables, contain beneficial nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese, but also sulforaphane, a plant compound with anticancer properties.

Fatty fish: such as mackerel, are rich in nutrients and essential oil, which scientists have also linked to a lower risk for some cancers.

More research will be needed before definitive cancer-fighting links can be verified but in any case, we all know that a healthy diet is something we should all follow for our general overall well-being and health.