It has been found that there are 6 power foods to fight cancer. This is important as according to WHO, cancer is expected to rise 70% over the next 20 years even though there have been many advances in medical technology and knowledge. President Barack Obama, on January 13, 2016, announced a national initiative to find a cure for cancer. Since first writing this article, I found three more helpful power foods to fight cancer so there are 9.
Is it best that we just wait for the medical system to find a cure or can we do something for ourselves now?
The place to begin is with eating healthy real foods, especially foods that have been proven scientifically to help in fighting cancer. Here are six of them.
6 Power Foods to Fight Cancer
1. Tomatoes Help Lower Cancer Risk
- Breast cancer can be reduced with tomatoes with their high amounts of carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and total carotenoids) as shown by research in
the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. - Prostate cancer was found to be reduced in a study showing men who ate more than 10 portions of tomatoes or tomato products per week reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 18% compared to men who ate less than 10.
- Consuming tomatoes and tomato-based products have been shown to lower risk of lung, stomach, and prostate gland cancer and it may also prevent it for breast, cervix, oral cavity, colon, esophagus, and pancreas. It is clear that the current evidence favours the consumption of tomatoes and tomato products rather than lycopene supplements as stated in the Oxford Journals. They are for sure one of the power foods to fight cancer.
Add Tomatoes to Your Meals with These Recipes
Enjoy a Cool Tomato Soup On a Hot Summer Day – Tasty cold tomato soup is refreshing, nutritious, tastes divine, and great for a hot summer day.
Avocado Tomato Salad Dressing – This ‘Avocado Tomato Salad Dressing’ is an easy way to jazz up any salad! This is a base recipe that you can alter with your choice of herbs or salty flavours. This is enough for three large salads.
2. Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts) Help Prevent Cancer
- Cruciferous vegetables have been shown to lower overall cancer risk according to research at Oregon State University.
- They have been found to help inhibit and regulate cancer-causing genes and “key to eliminating cancer” according to research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
- It was found that people who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetable Brussels sprouts had a lower risk of cancer, as stated at the National Cancer Cancer Institute fact page.
- Isothiocyanates, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables have been found in studies suggest that they may lower overall cancer risk, including colon and prostate cancer.
Try These Delicious Cruciferous Vegetable Recipes
Yummy Grain-Free Stuffing with Cauliflower and Mushrooms – This grain-free stuffing is so delicious that even those who think they have to have bread stuffing enjoy it. This recipe is good for gluten-free eaters and for the paleo diet too.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries -This roasted Brussels sprouts dish is exceptionally tasty, fit for a celebration meal. Roasting the Brussel sprouts till crisp takes away the sulfur odor and taste. Adding the cranberries and pecans takes it to a whole other level for a special meal.
Cabbage Walnut Salad – This cabbage walnut salad is so filling and delicious. Also, it is high in nutrients with a variety of vegetables and nuts in it which makes it very good for you too. The walnuts, pine nuts, and sesame seeds add a good vegan protein to it.
3. Avocados Help Cure Cancer
- The glutathione found in avocados has been found to help prevent some kinds of cancers.
Researchers found extracts from Hass avocados kill or stop the growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer. - The avocado extract was found to inhibit prostate cancer.
- Molecules in avocados have been found to attack leukemia stem cells directly while leaving healthy cells unharmed according to a study.
Check out These Tasty Avocado Recipes:
Very Healthy Green Salad with Grapes and Avocado – This green salad with grapes and avocado makes a delicious refreshing lunch or as a first course for a bigger meal. It is very nutritious with all the greens. Adding the grapes gives it a sweetness and the avocado a creaminess.
Tasty Vegan Sandwich with Avocado, Cucumber, and Pumpkin Seeds – This vegan sandwich is great for a quick simple lunch or snack, some even like it for breakfast. The avocado adds creaminess, while the cucumber is juicy and the pumpkin seeds add a salty crunch. It is so tasty and I like how easy it is to make.
Avocado Vegetable Dip – What I like about this raw avocado vegetable dip is that it is full of vegetables; adding the celery makes it crunchy and not so rich as well as healthier for you. There are so many dips available to buy at the grocery store but this is one is healthier with its low sodium content, monounsaturated fat and a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that may protect vision. Best of all it is fresh and tasty. Also, I sometimes enjoy this mixture on mixed green salads.
Delicious, Beautiful Avocado Grapefruit Salad – Grapefruit is a very good fruit for the winter with all the vitamin C in it and it has fat flushing benefits.
4. Garlic is One of the Power Foods to Fight Cancer
- Lung cancer was decreased by 44% in a study with those who ate raw garlic two or more times a
week according to a study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. The researchers also found that even smokers who ate raw garlic decreased their risk of lung cancer by around 30%. - Garlic, as an allium vegetable, has been found in a study to protect against stomach and colon cancers.
“In test tubes, garlic seems to kill cancer cells. And studies suggest that people who eat more raw or cooked garlic are less likely to get colon and stomach cancers and cancer of the esophagus.” – University of Maryland Medical Center.
Recipes To Enjoy Garlic Health Benefits:
Tempeh Sauteed with Spices and Garlic For a Special Vegan Dinner – This tempeh sautéed with lots of garlic and spices is a super easy dish to add to any vegan dinner. Tempeh is firmer and tastier than tofu with its nutty taste and texture and it is much healthier too making your meal full of easy to digest protein and vitamin B12.
Ultimate Garlic Recipe: Simple Garlic Zucchini – This is a very simple recipe and yummy if you like garlic. The first time I saw it being prepared was by my friend David on Yaku Yama mountain in the 70’s in my hippy days. I watched with amazement while he added clove after clove of garlic. I am sure he put in more than I have listed below! As health nuts in those days we ate lots of it for all of it’s health benefits.
Leeks and Carrots with Ginger and Garlic is So Delicious – Leeks and carrots are for sure favourite vegetables in my kitchen. Pairing them with yummy ginger and garlic makes a very refreshing delicious addition to a dinner meal. Also, all these ingredients are very nutritious for you too. In fact, almost all of the ingredients are superfoods.
Okra Sautéed with Cashews and Garlic is So Delicious – Adding cashews to this okra sautéed dish adds a crunch and the garlic adds a spicy taste to this tasty meal. Fresh green okra is a great vegetable and extra tasty made this way. It is also a complete meal when you add a whole grain like quinoa or brown rice. And of course so very tasty.
5. Legumes (Beans and Lentils) Reduce Cancer Risk
- Prostate cancer was found to be lower in a six-year study of more than 14,000 Seventh Day Adventist men living in the United States. Those with the highest intakes of legumes (beans, lentils, or split peas) had a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer.
- Legumes were found to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Scientists examined 14 studies with 1,903,459 participants and the found that those consuming the most legumes, especially soybeans, had the lowest risk for cancer.
- Pancreatic cancer is less when legumes are consumed more than two times a week compared to those who ate legumes rarely or less than once a week according to a study.
Try Making These Tasty Bean and Lentil Recipes
Chili con Vege recipe – This is my very tasty Vegan Chili recipe which is always enjoyed whenever I serve it. It is very healthy and it is vegan and gluten-free too.
Adzuki Vegetable Bean Stew – This is a simple recipe with one of the easiest to digest beans; adzuki beans. I love Adzuki beans and this tasty stew is filling and delicious.
Lentil Stew – Lentil soup has all the benefits of the mighty superfood lentils plus much more. And it tastes great.
Red Lentil Soup – This is an easy powerfood soup to make. You will be amazed by the great taste. It’s truly unique!
6. Flaxseed Lignans, One of the 6 Power Foods to Fight Cancer
- Reduce prostate cancer with flaxseeds.
Research studies have shown that lignans can slow the growth of prostate cancer cells. - Breast cancer survival was significant in three studies that followed thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer published at PubMed Central® 1, 2, 3. They found, “Lignans might play an important role in reducing all-cause and cancer-specific mortality of the patients operated on for breast cancer.”
Molasses Tahini Cookies Are Yummy and Good for You – These molasses tahini cookies are Middle Eastern-inspired, delicious, and easy to make! Also, they are vegan, and gluten-free too! And they are so very yummy.
Eat these 6 power foods to fight cancer and lower risk.
Since first writing this article, I found three more helpful power foods to fight cancer.
7. Spinach Is An Anticancer Food
Spinach has an ingredient called MGDG (monogalactosyl diacylglycerol) which is cancer-fighting because it stops DNA replication of cancer cells. A study showed that it slowed the cancer cell growth in the pancreas and promote cancer cell death.
“Spinach MGDG has great potential for development as an anticancer food compound and could be an effective clinical anticancer chemotherapy in combination with GEM.” ~ PubMed®
8. Red Reishi Mushrooms
This mushroom because of its anti-inflammatory properties, may prevent the inflammation of pancreatic tissue which can lead to cancer.
“Medicinal mushrooms have been approved adjuncts to standard cancer treatments in Japan and China for more than 30 years and have an extensive clinical history of safe use as single agents or combined with chemotherapy.” ~ WebMD by Annie Stuart
9. Sweet Potatoes
White skin sweet potatoes also are thought to have significant benefits for pancreatic health. An astonishing study published in 2000 revealed that sweet potato intake was able to decrease pancreatic islet B-cells, which are responsible for insulin production. ~ PubMed®
“Adding medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) — fats that are often derived from coconut or palm kernel oil — can also help boost your nutrient absorption in the setting of chronic pancreatitis, Dr. Chahal says.” ~ Cleaveland Clinic
Learn More About How to Help Your Body Fight Cancer
Cut Breast Cancer with These Healthy Habits –Studies have found that eating fruits and vegetables, especially carotenoid-rich ones, helps reduce breast cancer. There are numerous scientific studies to support this. Let’s go into some of the details.
Cut Breast Cancer Risk With These Everyday Habits – Studies have found that eating fruits and vegetables, especially carotenoid-rich ones, helps reduce breast cancer. There are numerous scientific studies to support this. Let’s go into some of the details.
A sharp rise in breast cancer worldwide is something to take seriously.
Lycopene, the Powerful Nutrient That May Help Prevent Cancer – Lycopene is a superstar when it comes to good health and cancer prevention. We find it in the news regularly. So what is it?
Lycopene gives red fruits and vegetables their bright red colour. You will find lycopene in red foods like tomatoes, watermelon, apricots, red grapefruit, guava, red carrots, papaya, and rose hips.
Cancer Survivors Eating Poorly Causes High Risk Of Being Unhealthy – Cancer survivors often do not eat a healthy, deeply nourishing diet according to research. This is shocking to me, that the individuals who are most motivated to improve their situation are not doing so!
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Very informative article, thank you!
Wow, thanks, hope fellow Africans see this!
you are really doing a great job by educating us on the proper way to live our lives free from disease. interesting article you have got here. more grease to your elbow. thanks you!
Garlic is a natural way to lower blood pressure. I prefer it raw but you can find it as a supplement too.
Can you use the fruit in a Nuplus smoothie if you have candida overgrowth or cancer?
Jeanette, I would think so. Just don’t eat too much fruit.