What foods prevent cancer?

Neethu Sheri Kurian

Content Specialist
4baseCare

The role of foods plays a very important role in the prevention of cancer in people. Foods are potentially modifiable factors to control the risk of cancer development. The report of World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) says that 40% of cancer cases can be prevented by utilizing an appropriate diet with nutrition along with physical activity. However, the detrimental impact of unhealthy diet on cancer seems to be increasing nowadays. In diet, consideration of the types of foods we take are highly important for the reduction of cancer risk and its progression. Researchers have shown the importance of nutrition in food that improves the health, quality of life, and life span of individuals with cancer.

Following types of foods contain beneficial compounds and could help lowering the risk of cancer growth:

Spices

Spices are used in cooking to enhance the flavor, taste and color, but they also have the potential to prevent and cure various types of cancers due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. These spices are turmeric, cinnamon, clove, black cumin or kalaunji, saffron, black pepper, and chili pepper. Consumption of these spices is able to treat lung, liver, breast, stomach, colo-rectum, pancreatic, cervix, uterus and prostate cancers. Cinnamons have the potential to reduce the risk of cancer of the neck and head due to the presence of essential oils. Hence, intake of 2-4 gm of cinnamon is helpful for the prevention of cancer.

Nuts and legumes

Nuts and legumes are beneficial for the reduction of risk of certain types of cancers. Different kinds of nuts, like-almond, peanut, walnut, and hazelnut, and various types of legumes, such as lentils, peas, chickpeas, and beans (red and pinto beans) are helpful in the reduction of breast cancer and colorectal cancer by modify the gene expression and antioxidant potentials.

Olive oil

Various research support that higher intake of olive oil may protect people from breast and digestive system related cancers such as colorectal cancer.

Whole grains

Whole grain intake is also helpful in the prevention of cancer. Whole grains such as wheat, oat, rye, rice, barley, millet, maize, and sorghum have cancer preventive chemicals such as β-glucan, phyto-sterols, and carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, phenolic compounds, lignans, flavones, anthocyanins, and tannins). Additionally, they have dietary fibers which may prevent digestive system related cancer like colorectal, gastric cancer, and esophageal cancer. Fiber helps nourish a healthy community of microbes called microbiome that has been linked with a lower cancer risk.

Superfoods! Protect your body

Fruits and vegetables come under superfoods (tomato, berries, broccoli, garlic, turmeric, citrus fruits and spinach). These superfoods have variety of phytochemical compounds that have the potential to fight against cancer and also reduce the risk of their progression. Some of these compounds include antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and anticancer phytocontituents (e.g., lignans, flavonoids, sterols, and anthocyanins). Few of these superfoods such as leafy greens, broccoli, and spinach also contain certain enzymes that help protect cell DNA and help in lowering the risk of colorectal cancer.

Berries like strawberry, blueberries, cranberries, and raspberry extracts are also rich in antioxidants (vitamin C, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid) and slow the growth of cancer cells in the skin, bladder, lung, esophagus and breast.

Sulforaphane and indole-3-Carbinol present in broccoli, lycopene in tomatoes, carotenes in carrots and spinach are able to reduce the risk of the development of various types of cancers.

Adding soy such as edamame, tofu, soy milk, and miso into the diet is safe and may reduce breast cancer risk.

Herbal origin beverages! Good for non-smokers

Tea (green, black and oolong) and coffee are the most commonly consumed herbal-origin beverages in the world. Both green and black tea and their constituents, such as tea polyphenols have shown to have cancer-inhibitory properties especially in non-smoker individual.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed and its oil are rich in omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid, and lignans with fibers to protect people from different types of cancer like breast, overall gastrointestinal tract cancer, upper aerodigestive and urinary tract cancer.

Fatty Fish

Researchers have shown that higher intake of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and anchovies, lowers the risk of digestive tract cancer. These fatty fishes contain vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids which protect against and also lowers the risk of cancer.

REFERENCES :

1. Maino Vieytes CA, Taha HM, Burton-Obanla AA, Douglas KG, Arthur AE. Carbohydrate Nutrition and the Risk of Cancer. Curr Nutr Rep. 2019; 8(3): 230-239.
2. Nasir A, Bullo MMH, Ahmed Z, Imtiaz A, Yaqoob E, Jadoon M, Ahmed H, Afreen A, Yaqoob S. Nutrigenomics: Epigenetics and cancer prevention: A comprehensive review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020; 60(8):1375-1387.
3. Hardman WE, Primerano DA, Legenza MT, Morgan J, Fan J, Denvir J. Dietary walnut altered gene expressions related to tumor growth, survival, and metastasis in breast cancer patients: A pilot clinical trial. Nutrition Research. 2019; 66: 82-94.
4. Zhang XF, Wang XK, Tang YJ, Guan XX, Guo Y, Fan JM, Cui LL. Association of whole grains intake and the risk of digestive tract cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition journal. 2020; 19(1):1-4.
5. Xie M, Liu J, Tsao R, Wang Z, Sun B, Wang J. Whole grain consumption for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Nutrients. 2019; 11(8): 1769.
6. Zheng J, Zhou Y, Li Y, Xu DP, Li S, Li HB. Spices for Prevention and Treatment of Cancers. Nutrients. 2016; 8(8): 495.
7. Fernandez E, Chatenoud L, La Vecchia C, Negri E, Franceschi S. Fish consumption and cancer risk. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jul;70(1):85-90. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/70.1.85. PMID: 10393143.