While family history can heighten your risk of getting cancer, studies have shown that your diet can play a role in preventing certain types.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats can reduce your risk for a variety of common cancers, such as colorectal, breast, and stomach cancer.
Experts say these beneficial foods are higher in antioxidants and carotenoids, both of which help protect against the development of cancer cells. They reveal that when it comes to preventing cancer, some foods pack more punch than others.
Here are some of the foods that are noteworthy for lowering your cancer risk.
Garlic and onions
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) suggests garlic and onions may reduce the risk of stomach, colon, esophageal, and breast cancer.
They say garlic has measurable anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as cancer-fighting properties, while onions offer many of the same benefits, providing quercetin and sulfur-containing molecules that block some carcinogens and induce apoptosis, a process that kills abnormal cells.
Walnuts
Nuts are another cancer-fighting superstar, and walnuts are said to be one of the best. Walnuts contain high amounts of antioxidant properties as well as omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, manganese, copper, and melatonin.
A versatile addition to other foods, you can chop and add them to a green salad, vegetable dish, or fruit salad.
Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
Spinach is a powerhouse of nutrients whether eaten raw, juiced, or lightly cooked. It is loaded with vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting; carotenoids, which supports eye health and antioxidants; fibre; folate, which aids DNA formation and repair; and other phytochemicals.
Several studies suggest that phytochemicals glycoglycerolipids and carotenoids fight cancer; especially prostate, breast, and stomach types. Baby spinach has less oxalate, so the absorption of calcium and iron is greater.
Spinach and arugula also contain plant nitrates that produce nitric oxide and nourish the endothelium (inner lining) of blood vessels.
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