There are plenty of studies that warn of everyday foods that might cause cancer. From perfluorooctanic acid that comes with microwave popcorn to the myriad of chemicals and pesticides used to grow non-organic fruit and genetically modified food, grocery aisles are becoming cancer minefields.
Other studies, though, have gotten less attention ““ those that point out foods that seem to fight cancer. Unsurprisingly, those foods are the same foods that doctors have been telling us for ages are staples of a good, healthy diet.
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research’s, most are plant-based.
“If you have two-thirds of plant food on your plate, that seems to be enough to avoid excessive amounts of food high in saturated fat and have been linked to lower incidence of cancer,” Karen Collins, a nutritionist with the institute, wrote in a recent study.
Some sources are familiar, while others are just being realized:
- Vitamin D: The most familiar, commonly found in milk and bread, the fat-soluble vitamin has been found to curb the growth of cancer cells. Increased intake has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer. It can be found in seafood and eggs, too.
- Tumeric: The spice, common in many Indian dishes, has plenty of a substance called curcumin, which is known for its anti-inflammatory effects also has been shown to interfere with cancer cells’ ability to grow and spread.
- Ginger: Another popular spice, it has shown surprising effect on cancer cells in a new round of studies. It can shrink cancer cells before they can affect healthy cells around them, though a direct link or explanation has yet to be found.
- Folates: The B-complex vitamin, found in cereals, breads, pastas and even orange juice, is a common factor in many foods linked to lower cancer levels, according to the study. Men who ingested the daily recommended levels of folate ““ about 400 micrograms, or three glasses of OJ alone ““ cut their risk of pancreatic cancer in half. Other sources include spinach, asparagus and Brussels sprouts.
- Flavonoids: You’ve probably never heard of them, but flavonoids are antioxidants commonly found in tea. One in particular, known as kaempferol, has been tied to lower incidences of breast and ovarian cancer in women.
