Foods that can lower the risk of cancer  

What you eat is directly related to your health especially when it comes to the development of cancer. This article talks about foods that contain beneficial compounds that help to lower the risk of cancer :

• Broccoli: High intake of this cruciferous vegetable is linked to a lower risk of cancer as it contains sulforaphane, which causes tumour cell death and helps to reduce the tumour size.
• Carrots: Carrot consumption is linked to lower risk of stomach, lung and prostate cancer.
• Beans: They are high in fibre, and its consumption is linked to a decreased risk of tumour recurrence.
• Berries: They contain anthocyanins (plant pigments) that have good antioxidant properties and help to decrease the spread and growth of cancer.
• Cinnamon: It helps to reduce inflammation and blood sugar levels. Along with this cinnamon, the extract has been found to help decrease the spread and growth of tumours.
• Nuts: If you add nuts like walnuts or brazil nuts to your diet, then it helps to reduce the risk of developing cancer. (But more human studies are required to understand the association of nuts with cancer)
• Olive Oil: Olive oil consumption is linked to decreased rates of cancer.
• Turmeric: The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin that helps to reduce the growth of certain types of cancer as it has anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects along with good antioxidant levels.
• Citrus Fruits: Include oranges, lemons, limes in your diet as higher amounts of citrus fruits are linked to lower risk of developing cancer.
• Flaxseed: They are rich in heart-healthy fats and high in fibre which helps to reduce the spread and growth of cancer cells. Its consumption is linked to an increase in the cancer cell death rate and helps decrease the levels of specific markers that measure tumour growth.
• Tomatoes: They are rich in lycopene which has anti-cancer properties.
• Fatty fish: Fishes like mackerel, salmon contain omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D that are linked to reduce and protect against the risk of cancer.
• Garlic: Allicin is the active component present in garlic which helps to kill cancer cells. Include 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic in your diet as it has amazing health-promoting properties.

In conclusion, your diet plays a major role on your risk of developing cancer so include a variety of whole foods in your diet and follow a healthy lifestyle as it will help to improve your overall health.

References

• Kwon, H. K., Hwang, J. S., So, J. S., Lee, C. G., Sahoo, A., Ryu, J. H., Jeon, W. K., Ko, B. S., Lee, S. H., Park, Z. Y., & Im, S. H. (2010). Cinnamon extract induces tumor cell death through inhibition of NFkappaB and AP1. BMC cancer, 10, 392. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-10-392
• Foschi, R., Pelucchi, C., Dal Maso, L., Rossi, M., Levi, F., Talamini, R., Bosetti, C., Negri, E., Serraino, D., Giacosa, A., Franceschi, S., & La Vecchia, C. (2010). Citrus fruit and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies. Cancer causes & control : CCC, 21(2), 237–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9454-4
• Thompson, L. U., Chen, J. M., Li, T., Strasser-Weippl, K., & Goss, P. E. (2005). Dietary flaxseed alters tumor biological markers in postmenopausal breast cancer. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 11(10), 3828–3835. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-04-2326

• Chen, J., Song, Y., & Zhang, L. (2013). Lycopene/tomato consumption and the risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology, 59(3), 213–223. https://doi.org/10.3177/jnsv.59.213

• Bat-Chen, W., Golan, T., Peri, I., Ludmer, Z., & Schwartz, B. (2010). Allicin purified from fresh garlic cloves induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells via Nrf2. Nutrition and cancer, 62(7), 947–957. https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2010.509837

• Garland, C. F., Garland, F. C., Gorham, E. D., Lipkin, M., Newmark, H., Mohr, S. B., & Holick, M. F. (2006). The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. American journal of public health, 96(2), 252–261. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.045260