The holidays are almost here and the festive food is everywhere. “While these foods are delicious to eat, some have the added advantage that contains cancer preventing food,” says Stephanie Meyers, MS, RD / LDN, a nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
Pumpkin is not just for the cake
Pumpkin can be a holiday staple for many families. And for some, may be one of the tastiest ways to increase natural cancer of the body’s own fighting ability, Meyers notes. Pumpkins are packed with nutrients called carotenoids, which have been linked to colon cancer prevention, prostate, breast and lung cancer
Although many people only eat pumpkin when it turns into a cake, you can also enjoy a variety of other ways, including roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup and pumpkin muffins high fiber bread.
It is the bright color that gives it its rich nutrients pumpkins to search for other orange vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and walnuts and pumpkin. All are also rich in carotenoids.
Meyers notes, “It is more beneficial to consume carotenoids from whole foods rather than supplements, because carotenoids in pill form appear to have the same protective properties.” In fact, this is the case with many of the nutrients in food. The overall food consumption typically provides greater health benefits than taking a dietary supplement.
An apple a day
Apples are another food filled properties of cancer prevention, thanks to the nutrient quercetin, which protects DNA in cells of the body against damage that could lead to cancer. For the greatest protection against cancer of apples eaten with the skin and is not combined with sugar and fat, like a cake.
Not just for holidays
Meyers reminds his patients that blueberries are not just for the holidays and encourage them to eat blueberries throughout the year. That’s because cranberries contain benzoic acid, which has been shown to inhibit the growth of lung cancer, colon cancer, and some forms of leukemia. Consider buying bags of cranberries now, while they are in season and at its peak nutritional value, and popping in the freezer for later. This will help ensure that the berries provide the highest level of protection against cancer every time you cook with them all year.
Color your world
The key to finding the overall cancer fighting foods is finding a lot of colors. Look for producing color like pomegranates, tomatoes, eggplants, grapes, cherries and turnips. The brighter and richer than the pigment, the higher the nutrient level “you want to load up your plate with vegetables of colors as much cereal as I can,” says Meyers. “Eating a plant-based diet throughout the year is the best way to help reduce the risk of cancer.”
