The Anti-Cancer Diet
Cancer Prevention Nutrition Tips and Cancer-Fighting Foods
Cancer prevention diet tip #1: Focus on plant-based foods
Why plant-based foods are cancer-fighting powerhouses
It comes down to this: Plants have less fat,
more fiber, and more cancer-fighting nutrients. These three elements
work together to support your immune system and help your body fight
off cancer.
The best diet for preventing or fighting cancer is
a predominantly plant-based diet that includes a variety of
vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A plant-based diet means eating
mostly foods that come from plants: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains,
and beans.
The less processed these foods are—the less
they’ve been cooked, peeled, mixed with other ingredients, stripped of
their nutrients, or otherwise altered from the way they came out of
the ground—the better.
There are many ways to add plant-based foods to your diet. A nice
visual reminder is to aim for a plate of food that is filled at least
two-thirds with whole grains, vegetables, beans, or fruit. Dairy
products, fish, and meat should take up no more than a third of the
plate. Keep in mind that you don’t need to go completely vegetarian.
Instead, focus on adding “whole” foods, which are foods close to their
original form. Just as important, try to minimize or reduce the amount
of processed foods you eat. Eat an apple instead of drinking a glass
of apple juice, for example. Or enjoy a bowl of oatmeal with raisins
instead of an oatmeal raisin cookie.
Simple tips for getting more plant-based foods in your diet
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Breakfast: Add fruit and a few seeds or nuts to your whole grain breakfast cereal (oatmeal!).
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Lunch: Eat a big salad filled with
your favorite beans and peas or other combo of veggies. Always order
lettuce and tomato (plus any other veggies you can!) on your
sandwiches. Order whole grain bread for your sandwiches. Have a side of
veggies like cut up carrots, sauerkraut or a piece of fruit.
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Snacks: Fresh fruit and vegetables. Grab an apple or banana on
your way out the door. Raw veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, jicama, peppers,
etc. are great with a low-fat dip such as hummus. Keep trail mix made with nuts,
seeds and a little dried fruit on hand.
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Dinner: Add fresh or frozen veggies
to your favorite pasta sauce or rice dish. Top a baked potato with
broccoli and yogurt, sautéed veggies, or with salsa. Replace creamy
pasta sauces, with sautéed vegetables or tomato sauce made with healthy
olive oil.
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Dessert: Choose fruit instead of a richer dessert. Or a single square of dark chocolate.
Buy organic or local produce, if possible
Some pesticides found in commercially-grown produce
are also suspected carcinogens. Organic foods are free of these
pesticides, and locally grown produce is less likely to have been
treated with chemicals to prevent spoilage.
Cancer prevention diet tip #2: Bulk up on fiber
Another
benefit of eating plant-based foods is that it will also increase your
fiber intake. Fiber, also called roughage or bulk, is the part of
plants (grains, fruits, and vegetables) that your body can’t digest.
Fiber plays a key role in keeping your digestive system clean and
healthy. It helps keep food moving through your digestive tract, and it
also moves cancer-causing compounds out before they can create harm.
Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains. In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the
higher it is in fiber. There is no fiber in meat, dairy, sugar, or
“white” foods like white bread, white rice, and pastries.
Simple ways to add more fiber to your diet:
- Use brown rice instead of white rice
- Substitute whole-grain bread for white bread
- Choose a bran muffin over a croissant or pastry
- Snack on popcorn instead of potato chips
- Eat fresh fruit such as a pear, a banana, or an apple (with the skin)
- Have a baked potato, including the skin, instead of mashed potatoes
- Enjoy fresh carrots, celery, or bell peppers with a hummus or salsa, instead of chips and a sour cream dip
- Use beans instead of ground meat in chili, casseroles, tacos, and even burgers (bean burgers taste great!)
High-fiber, cancer-fighting foods
|
| Whole grains |
whole-wheat pasta, raisin bran, barley, oatmeal, oat bran muffins, popcorn, brown rice, whole-grain or whole-wheat bread |
| Fruit |
raspberries,
apples, pears, strawberries, bananas, blackberries, blueberries,
mango, apricots, citrus fruits, dried fruit, prunes, raisins |
| Legumes |
lentils, black beans, split peas, lima beans, baked beans, kidney beans, pinto, chick peas, navy beans, black-eyed peas |
| Vegetables |
broccoli, spinach, dark green leafy vegetables, peas, artichokes, corn, carrots, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, potatoes |
Cancer prevention diet tip #3: Cut down on meat
Research shows that vegetarians are about fifty
percent less likely to develop cancer than those who eat meat. So what’s
the link between meat and cancer risk? First, meat lacks fiber and
other nutrients that have been shown to have cancer-protective
properties. What it does have in abundance, however, is fat—often very
high levels of saturated fat. High-fat diets have been linked to higher
rates of cancer. And saturated fat is particularly dangerous. Finally,
depending on how it is prepared, meat can develop carcinogenic
compounds.
Making better meat and protein choices
You don’t need to cut out meat completely and become
a vegetarian. But most people consume far more meat than is healthy.
You can cut down your cancer risk substantially by reducing the amount
of animal-based products you eat and by choosing healthier meats.
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Keep meat to a minimum. Try to keep
the total amount of meat in your diet to no more than fifteen percent
of your total calories. Ten percent is even better.
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Eat red meat only occasionally. Red meat is high in saturated fat, so eat it sparingly.
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Reduce the portion size of meat in each meal. The portion should be able to fit in the palm of your hand.
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Use meat as a flavoring or a side, not the entrée. You can use a little bit of meat to add flavor or texture to your food, rather than using it as the main element.
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Add beans and other plant-based protein sources to your meals.
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Choose leaner meats, such as fish, chicken, or turkey. If possible, buy organic.
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Avoid processed meats such as hotdogs, sausage, deli meats, and salami.
Cancer prevention diet tip #4: Choose your fats wisely
A major benefit of cutting down on the amount of
meat you eat is that you will automatically cut out a lot of unhealthy
fat. Eating a diet high in fat increases your risk for many types of
cancer. But cutting out fat entirely isn’t the answer, either. In fact,
some types of fat may actually protect against cancer. The trick is to
choose your fats wisely and eat them in moderation.
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Fats that increase cancer risk –
The two most damaging fats are saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated
fats are found mainly in animal products such as red meat, whole milk
dairy products, and eggs. Trans fats, also called partially
hydrogenated oils, are created by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable
oils to make them more solid and less likely to spoil—which is very
good for food manufacturers, and very bad for you.
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Fats that decrease cancer risk –
The best fats are unsaturated fats, which come from plant sources and
are liquid at room temperature. Primary sources include olive oil,
canola oil, nuts, and avocados. Also focus on omega-3 fatty acids,
which fight inflammation and support brain and heart health. Good
sources include salmon, tuna, and flaxseeds.
Tips for choosing cancer-fighting fats and avoiding the bad
- Reduce your consumption of red meat, whole milk, butter, and eggs, as these are the primary source of saturated fats.
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Cook with olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil. Canola oil is another good choice, especially for baking.
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Check the ingredient list on food labels
and avoid anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils,
which are usually found in stick margarines, shortenings, salad
dressings, and other packaged foods.
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Trim the fat off of meat when you do eat it, and avoid eating the skin of the chicken.
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Choose nonfat dairy products and eggs that have been fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.
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Add nuts and seeds to cereal,
salads, soups, or other dishes. Good choices include walnuts, almonds,
pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, pecans, and sesame seeds.
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Use flaxseed oil in smoothies,
salad dressings, or mixed in snacks such as applesauce. But do not cook
with flaxseed oil, as it loses its protective properties when heated.
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Limit fast food, fried foods, and packaged foods, which tend to be high in trans fats. This includes foods like potato chips, cookies, crackers, French fries, and doughnuts.
- Eat fish once or twice a week.
Good choices include wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, herring, and
black cod. But be conscious of mercury, a contaminant found in many
types of fish.
Making smart seafood choices
For a list of the best and worst seafood choices, see the
Pocket Seafood Selector, from the Environmental Defense Food.
Cancer prevention diet tip #5: Choose cancer-fighting foods
Your immune system keeps you healthy by fighting off
unwanted invaders in your system, including cancer cells. There are
many things you can eat to maximize the strength of your immune system,
as well as many cancer-fighting foods. But keep in mind that there is
no single miracle food or ingredient that will protect you against
cancer. Eating a colorful variety gives you the best protection.
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Boost your antioxidants. Antioxidants
are powerful vitamins that protect against cancer and help the cells
in your body function optimally. Fruits and vegetables are the best
sources of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E,
and selenium.
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Eat a wide range of brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
Colorful fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, a potent
disease–fighting and immune–boosting nutrient. The greater the variety
of colors that you include, the more you will benefit, since different
colors are rich in different phytochemicals.
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Flavor with immune-boosting spices and foods. Garlic,
ginger, and curry powder not only add flavor, but they add a
cancer-fighting punch of valuable nutrients. Other good choices include
turmeric, basil, rosemary, and coriander. Use them in soups, salads,
casseroles, or any other dish.
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Drink plenty of water. Water is
essentially to all bodily processes. It stimulates the immune system,
removes waste and toxins, and transports nutrients to all of your
organs.
Cancer prevention diet tip #6: Prepare your food in healthy ways
Choosing healthy food is not the only important
factor. It also matters how you prepare and store your food. The way
you cook your food can either help or hurt your anti-cancer efforts.
Preserving the cancer-fighting benefits of vegetables
Here are a few tips that will help you get the most benefits from eating all those great cancer-fighting vegetables:
- Eat at least some raw fruits and vegetables.
These have the highest amounts of vitamins and minerals, although
cooking some vegetables can make the vitamins more available for our
body to use.
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When cooking vegetables, steam until just tender using a small amount of water.
This preserves more of the vitamins. Overcooking vegetables leaches
the vitamins and minerals out. For an extra vitamin boost, use the
vegetable cooking water in a soup or another dish.
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Wash or peel all fruits and vegetables. Use a vegetable brush for washing. Washing does not eliminate all pesticide residue, but will reduce it.
Cooking and carcinogens
Carcinogens are cancer-causing substances found in
food. Carcinogens can form during the cooking or preserving
process—mostly in relation to meat—and as foods start to spoil.
Examples of foods that have carcinogens are cured, dried, and preserved
meats (e.g. bacon, sausage, beef jerkey); burned or charred meets;
smoked foods; and foods that have become moldy. Here are some ways
reduce your exposure to carcinogens:
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The 5 Worst Foods to Grill
- Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, grilled, well done
- Steak, grilled, well done
- Pork, barbecued
- Salmon, grilled with skin
- Hamburger, grilled, well done
Source:
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Do not cook oils on high heat.
Low-heat cooking or baking (less than 240 degrees) prevents oils or
fats from turning carcinogenic. Instead of deep-frying, pan-frying,
and sautéing, opt for healthier methods such as baking, boiling,
steaming, or broiling.
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Go easy on the barbecue.
Burning or charring meats creates carcinogenic substances. If you do
choose to barbecue, don’t overcook the meat and be sure to cook at
the proper temperature (not too hot!).
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Store oils in a cool dark place in airtight containers, as they quickly become rancid when exposed to heat, light, and air.
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Choose fresh meats instead of cured, dried, preserved, or smoked meats.
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Avoid foods that look or smell moldy,
as they likely contain aflatoxin, a strong carcinogen. Aflatoxin is
most commonly found on moldy peanuts. Nuts will stay fresh longer if
kept in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Be careful what you put in the microwave. Use waxed paper rather than plastic wrap to cover your food in the microwave. And always use microwave-safe containers.
