Numerous unhealthy changes have been made to both our diet and way of life, and they are the reason for obesity and a host of other issues, including a cancer threat. Our body has a tendency to become immunocompromised due to excessive consumption of unhealthy and junk foods, and as a result, we frequently succumb to many health issues. Cancer is one such disease which occurs as a result of many underlying health issues and ill-habits. Consuming anti-cancer foods is an efficient way to prevent this potentially fatal disease. A diet high in anti-cancer foods can dramatically reduce the risk of getting cancer and slow the spread of disease. Hence, if you want to remain healthy and keep the problem of cancer at bay and would like to know which foods would help to lower the cancer risk, then by following this article, you can get some knowledge about the foods which reduce the risk of cancer.
Anti-Cancer Foods to Lower Your Cancer Risk
Numerous foods comprise beneficial compounds which help in reducing the chances of developing cancer, and these foods are known as cancer-fighting foods. Below is a list of 10 foods that have anti-cancer properties:
Broccoli
Broccoli is an amazing green vegetable comprising numerous health benefits for the body and one of the amazing cancer-fighting foods. Broccoli comprises sulforaphane, a plant compound usually found in cruciferous vegetables with potent anti-cancer properties. In a research study, it has been found that sulforaphane reduces the size as well as number of breast cancer cells by 75%. Consuming broccoli helps reduce the chances of breast cancer and other types of cancer, such as prostate cancer, etc.
Beans
Beans also makes its way into the list of anti-cancer foods. The beans are rich in fiber which provides protection against colorectal cancer. Consuming beans in diet, either cooked or dried beans, decreases tumour recurrence risk. In order to get appropriate results, consuming a few beans each week increases the fiber intake in your body and thus helps to lower the risk of cancer development in the body
Carrot
Carrot is also one of the best anti-cancer foods, which, if consumed, helps to significantly reduce the chances of developing cancer in the body. Consuming cancer in the diet helps lower the chances of developing cancer such as stomach, prostate, lung, etc. You can prefer to include carrot in your diet either in snacks or main course and consume it a few times a week and gradually increase the intake and thereby remain safe from cancer.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a regular spice used in our kitchen to cook daily food. But have you ever imagined this regular spice would be one of the anti-cancer foods. Cinnamon is known for its health benefits to reduce inflammation in the body and also reduce blood sugar in the body. Apart from this, it also blocks the spread of cancer cells in the body, thereby preventing cancer development. Consuming half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day would be beneficial to prevent cancer.
Apple
You might have heard the famous saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. This is very much true as apple is amazing anti-cancer food. Apple comprises polyphenols which are a promising anti-cancer substance. Polyphenols are plant-based compound that effectively prevents inflammation, infections, and cardiovascular diseases. Phloretin, a polyphenol sub-product, inhibits breast cancer cell growth.
Berries
Another amazing anti-cancer foods which you can prefer to include in your diet to keep cancer at bay is berries. The berries are a rich source of minerals, vitamins as well as dietary fiber. There is a compound in berries known as anthocyanin, which reduces the biomarkers for colon cancer. Similarly, berries also have anti-inflammatory properties, which also prevents the growth of breast cancer tumor.
Turmeric
Turmeric is amazing anti-cancer food that is usually found in every kitchen and used in every dish. It is a spice that is popularly known for its properties for promoting effective health. Turmeric comprises a compound known as curcumin which is a chemical that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Curcumin rapidly reduces the spread of colon cancer cells by efficiently targeting the specific enzymes related to the growth of cancer. Not only this, but curcumin inhibits the growth of other types of cancer, such as lung, breast, neck, and prostate cancer.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are a healthy addition to your diet to have good health and work as an amazing anti-cancer food. In some research studies, it has been found that flaxseeds reduce the growth of cancer-causing cells significantly and thereby help to kill cancer cells. Moreover, flaxseeds also decrease the level of specific markers that measure the growth of tumors. As flaxseeds are high in fiber, they are effective in protecting against colorectal cancer.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fishes are regarded as the best carcinogenic foods, which lowers the chance of cancer risk. Various types of fatty fish, such as salmon, anchovies, mackerel, etc., are rich in essential nutrients such as potassium, vitamin B, omega-3 fatty acids, etc. In a research study, it has been found that a diet rich in fatty fish lowers the risk of development of colorectal cancer. Fatty fishes are excellent anti-cancer foods that also help in reducing the chances of developing colorectal cancer.
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Walnuts
Though all types of nuts are regarded as among the best anti-cancer foods. But among them, the walnut works in an amazing manner to reduce the chances of cancer risk. Walnut comprises a substance known as pedunculagin, which our body further metabolizes into urolithins which bind the estrogen receptors and thus play an important role in preventing breast cancer.
Conclusion
Nowadays, the instances of people suffering from cancer are increasing. The risk of suffering from cancer has increased due to changes in lifestyle and eating habits. Currently, the eating habits of people comprises more of processed food and fried foods, which are not good for health as they can give rise to various health problems, including cancer. However, a diet rich in whole foods containing some of the best anti-cancer foods can significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Above, we have discussed the 10 anti-cancer foods, such as broccoli, beans, carrot, apple, walnut, etc., which are available in the market. You can prefer to include these foods into your diet to reduce the risk of cancer and thereby lead a happy and healthy life.