7 Fruits and Vegetables that May Help Reduce Cancer Risk
Fruits and vegetables are essential for the body and they are also an important source of protein, calories, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Believe it or not, fruits and vegetables play a prominent role in nutrition, and can even help reduce cancer risk, so include them regularly in your diet.
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Proper Nutrition Can Help Reduce Cancer Risk
Eating is not the same as nourishing yourself. For this reason, you should pay attention to what you’re putting in your body and be aware that certain foods can help you prevent health problems and even reduce the risk of cancer.
Normally, a diet rich in nutrients has to correspond with the balance between all types of food, even more so if you want it to help reduce cancer risk.
- On one hand, fruits are very nutritive and an excellent source of energy.
- On the other hand, vegetables have properties like vitamins and minerals that help improve immune system function and reinforce your cells.
Vegetables usually can regulate the excess sugar that Western diets contain. In fact, they can counteract both saturated fat and carbonated sugars.
Fruits contain elements that provide supplements to the human body. From antioxidants to vitamins of all kinds (A, B, C, E, K, and D), they are an ideal cocktail for minimizing the appearance of any kind of cancer.
Various studies have supported the theory that the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables decreases the chances of cancer appearing or spreading by up to 40%.
If you are someone who already loves to consume fruit and accompany your meals with vegetables, you’re going to love this.
3 Fruits that Help Reduce Cancer Risk
1. Pineapple
First of all, pineapple has unique properties that are beneficial to the human body. The enzyme bromelain has been recognized for its great ability to fight the growth of tumors since it is able to destroy the protective coating on tumors.
Plus, it’s also ideal because it can repair DNA and restructure cells. Over time, cells will tend to grow with greater resistance to external pathogens.
2. Apples
Apples, in addition to being delicious and nutritious, also fight against the appearance of cancer and help increase the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
- Procyanidins are biological actives found in apples. These induce the death of malignant cells naturally.
- Triterpenoids are phytochemical actives that are found in high concentrations in apple skins. Overall, they help limit and stop the reproduction of malignant cells.
3. Avocados
Avocados contain lutein, which is effective in the fight against cancer. Lutein has the property of reducing the probability of development of cancer cells, especially in the case of prostate cancer in men.
In addition to its antioxidant, mineral and protein benefits, avocados are ideal for eating regularly for their easy access, anticancer benefits, and especially creamy texture! They are a great replacement for dairy products in foods such as salads, sauces, and dressings.
4 Vegetables that Help Reduce Cancer Risk
1. Eggplant
This vegetable contains a high number of antioxidants and vitamin E in their skins. Luckily, they contain antioxidants solanine and cucurbitacin, alkaloids that are responsible for destroying tumor cells.
Therefore, eggplant benefits the body in many ways, one of them being its contribution in the fight against cervical and stomach cancer.
2. Spinach
This vegetable has always been considered a very nutritious food thanks to its vitamin A, iron, and folic acid. Additionally, spinach contains 13 phytonutrients,which may help get rid of cells that produce tumors. Spinach is effective in helping reduce the risk of developing various types of cancers.
3. Cruciferous vegetables
There are more than 37 different kinds of cruciferous vegetables and cabbage is the best-known. Cabbage helps produce bioactive metabolites in the body that may help prevent the growth of cancerous tumors.
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4. Garlic
The king of vegetables has so many medicinal uses that it is widely recognized within the medical field. However, it is the bioactive compounds of garlic that make the difference against cancer.
Arginine, oligosaccharides, flavonoids, and selenium are responsible for properties that may reduce cancer risk. These substances are all present in garlic, especially when fermented.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Better Health Chanel. Healthy eating. Victoria State Government. Department of Health. Diciembre 2021.
- Gupta Ch, Prakash D, et al. Phytonutrients as therapeutic agents. Journal of Complementary and Integral Medicine. Septiembre 2014. 11 (3): 151-69.
- Rodríguez-Leyton, Mylene & Majana Lucía, Sánchez. (2017). Consumo de frutas y verduras: beneficios y retos. Alimentos Hoy. 25. 30-55.
- Vepachedu, Sreenivasarao. (1998). Balanced Diet. The Telangana Science Journal.
- World Health Organization. Healthy diet. Abril 2020.
