Cancer Reducing Foods: Include these 12 foods that prevent cancer in your daily diet

Foods play a vital role in cancer prevention. Certain fruits, vegetables, and nuts contain many potential compounds which help to reduce the risk of developing cancer. 

Here are 12 cancer reducing foods rich in vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that will help us to reduce the cancer risk. Include these anti-cancer foods in your daily diet. It helps to live a healthy life and to prevent chronic diseases.

12 Cancer reducing foods that lower risk of cancer:

1. Cauliflower:

Cauliflower is packed with vitamin C, glucosinolate, and folate. These compounds decrease inflammation, support the immune system and help maintain healthy DNA. This anti-cancer food reduces the risk of esophageal cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancers, mouth and throat cancers.

Add steamed or roasted cauliflower to your diet frequently. Limit the cooking time below 10 minutes. It ensures the presence of protective compounds in your food.

2. Grapes:

Grapes are rich in a wide variety of phytochemicals. Resveratrol present in grapes is a powerful antioxidant. Grapes help decrease the risk of skin cancer, liver cancer, breast and prostate cancer. 

Purple and red grapes are better anti-cancer foods compared to green grapes as they have more resveratrol than green grapes. Eat grapes with skin as the skin contains more resveratrol. 

3. Whole grains:

Whole grains are the preferred choice over refined grains since they provide more nutrients. Refined grains do not have germ and bran. Phytic acid present in whole grains helps to prevent damage in the cells and helps decrease the risk of cancer

Phenolic acids and lignans increase cells antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Whole grains support healthy bacteria in the colon.

4. Garlic:

Garlic is a common ingredient in our daily dishes. This cancer preventing food lowers the risk of stomach cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancers. Once you chop or crush the garlic, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes before cooking, which enhances the production of bioactive compounds. 

These active constituents present in garlic boosts the enzymes that kill the cancer cells. It also inhibits the enzymes that activate the cancer-causing compounds.

5. Flaxseed:

Flaxseed helps lower the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. It is rich in vitamin E, dietary fibre, and phenolic acids. Ground flaxseed offers more nutritional benefits than whole flaxseed. 

6. Spinach:

Spinach is enriched with dietary fibre, vitamin C, carotenoids (lutein, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin), folate and flavanols. Dietary fibre in spinach helps to reduce weight. Excess body weight is the risk factor for around 13 cancers.

It decreases the risk of colorectal cancer. It. Spinach may also be helpful in reducing the risk of breast cancer, bladder cancer, and lung cancer. 

7. Apples:

Apples are rich in dietary fibre and phytochemicals such as flavonols and triterpenoid compounds. Apples are helpful in lowering the risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung and mouth cancers. 

The phytochemical compounds present in the apples can decrease cancer cell growth and increase the self-destruction of cancer cells.

8. Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are cancer reducing foods rich in lycopene, vitamin A and Vitamin C. They reduce the risk of prostate cancer, stomach cancers, lung and esophageal cancers. Cooked tomatoes allow you to absorb more lycopene from them. 

Lycopene in tomatoes influences male hormones and reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative damage. 

9. Walnuts:

Walnuts possess cancer-preventive properties. Pedunculagin is a compound present in walnuts, which on consumption metabolize into urolithins. Urolithins help prevent breast cancer. 

10. Carrots:

Carrots are rich in phytochemicals and vitamins. The carotenoid beta-carotene present in the carrots supports immune function and helps prevent certain cancers. A higher intake of carrots may help to reduce the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, and colorectal cancers. 

11. Beans:

Regular consumption of beans helps to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, prostate, and breast cancer. They contain high fibre and antioxidants. Dry beans need to be soaked in cold water overnight or hot water for 1 to 4 hours before cooking. 

12. Tea:

Both green tea and black tea contain the active compound epigallocatechin-3 gallate, which makes them cancer fighting foods. This compound acts against the enzyme urokinase, which is crucial for cancer growth. Consumption of tea decreases skin cancer, bladder cancer, liver cancer, and breast cancer. 

Foods can help you reduce the cancer risk:

Diet can have a significant role in reducing cancer risk. Research shows that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps lower the chances of getting various kinds of cancer. Let’s include more cancer preventing foods in our diet and prevent cancer.