"Fighting Cancer with Food"

I’ve been reading and researching to learn about the best foods to boost my immune system and hopefully, fight off a recurrence of cancer. The amount of information is overwhelming, so I’ve narrowed the list down to foods which are both readily available and have a broad consensus of being able to reduce cancer risks. Read that carefully. No one is claiming any one or several foods will absolutely prevent cancer. Personally, I know people who “did everything right” in terms of exercise and food choices, yet they developed cancer. Two ladies I know personally who are vegetarians got cancer before 40 and one has even had a recurrence. So my caveat: there are no guarantees. However, some foods have statistically been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Let’s frame the question in the positive, rather than negative: “What if it does work to prevent cancer for me?” It’s certainly worth a try. I assume you would travel to an exotic clinic if you knew it could reduce your chances of getting cancer by a whopping 50%! Yet eating plants is so much easier and inexpensive. (1)

No longer is there only anecdotal evidence, but clinical studies using scientific methods demonstrate the cancer-fighting properties of plants. Instead of listing benefits for each fruit or vegetable, I’ve combined them into groups having the same compound. You don’t need to know the chemical name or even be able to pronounce the phytonutrient to reap the benefits. I, for one, have only recently discovered the science behind the salad.

Allium: Garlic and onion family. These sulfur compounds stimulate the immune system’s natural defenses against cancer. When garlic is crushed or chopped, it releases an enzyme which produces a compound called allicin. To get the full health benefits of garlic, after you crush the garlic, let it sit for 10 minutes before cooking. This time allows for the production of allicin, the source of the active compounds. Garlic’s cancer-preventative mechanisms include: boosting enzymes that remove the effects of carcinogens; reducing inflammation that could lead to cancer development; stimulating self-destruction of cancer cells; and hindering the ability of cancer to spread by decreasing a tumor’s ability to grow new blood vessels. Garlic is deeply appreciated by many. In fact filmmaker, Les Blank, made garlic the star of his movie with the hyperbolic title: Garlic is as Good as 10 Mothers!

Anthocyanins: Apples, berries and cherries. These plant pigments are called flavonoids. By neutralizing free radicals, they may have the antioxidant potential to reduce risks of cancer. Though apples provide fiber and vitamin C, the peel actually contains most of the phytochemical compounds. Cherries are among foods highest in melatonin, which shows cancer-preventive potential in laboratory studies.

Beta-carotene: Apricots, carrots and sweet potatoes. This carotenoid appears to function as an antioxidant to protect cells from free radical damage.

Catechins: Green tea and pomegranates. Green tea contains a catechin called EGCG that may help to fight cancer by increasing the body’s natural defenses and by suppressing cancer promotion.  Pomegranates certainly earn the name of a super-food! They have anti-inflammatory effects and anti-angiogenic properties, meaning they help prevent tumors from acquiring a blood supply needed to grow. Pomegranates also contain tannins in addition to catechin and other flavonoids.

Flavonoids: Apples, berries, broccoli, and citrus fruits. In addition to acting as antioxidants, some have other anti-cancer effects related to altering enzymes of metabolism and cell growth. They may also prevent DNA damage to cells.

Glucosinolates: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. These nutrients transform into several different types of protective substances. Each boosts the immune system and helps to block enzymes which promote cancer.

Lycopene: Tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon. Also an antioxidant, lycopene may destroy harmful free radical molecules. Preliminary studies show lycopene may help protect against prostate cancer. Tomatoes are a unique source of lycopene, a type of red-colored carotenoid. To absorb more of the health benefits, cook or serve with a little oil. 

Phenolic acids: Green tea, pomegranates, and turmeric. This subgroup of plant polyphenols may be able to destroy free radicals. Also, they seem to activate enzymes that fight cancer by reducing tumors. Research is on-going with tea since results of studies are inconsistent. This is probably due to individual differences in gut microbes which affect how compounds can be absorbed.

Phytoestrogens: Flaxseed, legumes, and soy foods. These are helpful against hormone-related cancers since they lower estrogen levels. They help block estrogen by attaching to receptor sites where natural estrogen lodges. Flaxseeds have fiber and phytochemicals called lignans, known for their anti-cancer properties. Research is continuing for the effects of flaxseeds on hormone-related cancers.

Resveratrol: Red and purple grapes and red wine. Resveratrol does triple duty by hindering cancer at three stages: initiation, promotion, and progression. Grapes have a wide variety of phytocompounds that are likely to reduce cancer risks. Laboratory studies show compounds found in grape seeds and skins, or the compounds gut microbes produce from them, can influence expression of genes related to cancer development. However, these lab results may not have the same practical applications in reducing cancer as in one’s eating habits.

Sulforaphane: Broccoli and cabbage family (cruciferous vegetables). Sulforaphane is called an isothiocyanate. It seems to activate detoxifying enzymes in the body that fight off cancer. Also, it may promote apoptosis, cancer cell death. (For more information on sulforaphane, see my previous post entitled, “Letting Food Be Medicine.”)

This list should help you with your grocery shopping as long as you don’t focus on the red wine! If you have a farmers’ market nearby where you can buy fresh vegetables or if you can grow your own, that’s ideal. Frozen ones are fine, though, since they are picked when ripe. At least by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, you’ll be healthier in general, and you may even prevent cancer! There is a definite link between what you eat and many types of cancers. The National Cancer Institute estimates that at least 35% of all cancers have a nutritional connection!

Thus, science now proves your mother was right to tell you to “Eat your veggies.” Actually, we’ve been hearing that plants are good for us expressed in various ways since the dawn of time. “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.’” (2)

(1) https://www.aicr.org/cancer-prevention/food-facts/

(2) Genesis 1:29 in the NKJV of the Bible

Reflection:

1. How can you incorporate more fruit and vegetables in your diet?

2. What new fruits or vegetables could you try (and maybe like)?

3. Is your kitchen set up for quickly cooking vegetables with a wok and food processor to make recipes easier?