You want to use all the help you can get as you move forward in your journey to overcome cancer, and a healthy diet is one of your strongest allies in this battle. A properly planned diet can help strengthen your immune system and beat complications of cancer treatment. Superfoods for cancer are an important part of such a diet. Here we learn more about these foods and how to use them in your diet.
What are superfoods for cancer?
Superfoods are food items that have exceptional nutritional qualities. These foods are usually rich in one or several nutritionally important compounds, such as fiber or beneficial fatty acids. Superfoods are not necessarily some exotic fruit or rare, expensive product. In fact, many top superfoods are staple foods we eat daily without thinking much of them. Everyday food items such as tomatoes and carrots are at the top of the list of potent superfoods.
Superfoods whose nutritional composition is particularly beneficial for people with cancer are known as superfoods for cancer. A significant feature of superfoods for cancer is their capacity to suppress inflammation in your body. Inflammatory processes are frequently involved in cancer initiation and progression. Add superfoods to your diet and avoid eating foods that promote inflammation to help your body overcome cancer.
First, plan a healthy diet, and then add superfoods.
Superfoods are not magic bullets for defeating cancer. You can expect very little if any, beneficial effect from them if you take superfoods with an unhealthy, inflammation-promoting diet. However, superfoods for cancer can be helpful if you incorporate them into a healthy and balanced diet.
The following are some of the top cancer-fighting superfoods:
Blueberries
Blueberry is a small fruit but has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants. This makes it a top choice as a superfood for cancer. Antioxidants protect your body against inflammation, and this is particularly important in the time you are dealing with cancer. For comparison, one cup of blueberries contains more antioxidants than five full servings of apples, broccoli, carrots, or squash- all superfoods rich in antioxidants.
Blueberries are rich in a group of antioxidants called flavonoids. These compounds give blueberries their characteristic deep blue color. A long list of health benefits has been discovered for flavonoids. Notably, they help protect your body against free radicals, which are among the most damaging compounds in cancer.
The health benefits of blueberries are not limited to their antioxidant content. They are also very rich in fiber. You will find two grams of fiber in just half a cup of blueberries. This is equivalent to the fiber content of a slice of whole-grain bread- the best-known of fiber-containing foods.
Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and fiber; at the same time, they are low in calories. This makes them a perfect choice for people looking for high-quality food that does not make you fat. The nutritional content of blueberries is the dream of a dietician come true! You can enjoy blueberries in many delicious, easy-to-make salads and snacks.
Beans and other pulses
Beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils — collectively known as pulses or legumes — can serve a dual purpose in your diet during cancer treatment and beyond. They form a valuable and indispensable part of a balanced and healthy diet and are also known as superfoods for cancer because of their cancer-fighting properties. Make sure to cook beans properly so that they are easily digested.
Pulses are among the best sources of plant-based proteins. Proteins are a vital part of your diet as you fight cancer. They help you maintain your muscle mass and provide your immune system with the necessary material to perform its functions properly. During cancer treatment, try to get most of your protein from plant sources, such as beans and other pulses.
Beans are excellent sources of fiber. Research has shown that the risk of colorectal cancer decreases if you eat plant-based food rich in fiber. Fiber also helps keep beneficial microorganisms in your gut, which are particularly important during cancer treatment.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most popular vegetables. You frequently see it as a vegetable side dish in restaurants, but some people intensely dislike it because of its distinct flavor. However, this humble vegetable that many of us take for granted is one the most promising weapons in the arsenal of superfoods for cancer.
What has given this vegetable of the cabbage family a superfood status is that it’s full of a cancer-fighting molecule named sulforaphane. Broccoli sprouts are even richer in this compound than mature vegetables. The sulforaphane content in broccoli sprout is 100 to 400 times its content in other vegetables of the same family.
Several studies in the laboratory and on animal models have shown that sulforaphane reduces tumor size and causes cancer cell death. These results are encouraging enough to recommend the inclusion of broccoli in the meal plan for people with cancer. However, the results are still indirect, and research on the subject continues.
Garlic
Garlic is one of those natural remedies mother nature has provided for human ailments. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial features. Both these properties are valuable if you are dealing with cancer and are in treatment.
We have already discussed the importance of suppressing inflammation in your body, but protection against harmful microbes is equally important if you undergo cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy. These necessary treatments weaken your immune system, and you may become more vulnerable to infection. Here. Garlic can come to the rescue as part of your protective plan.
The garlic odor may be the one issue putting you off and preventing you from including garlic in your diet, but surprisingly, it may be precisely the factor that gives garlic its anti-cancer properties. Garlic’s odor emanates from its sulfur compounds. Studies suggest that these compounds may fight cancer and speed up DNA repair.
Tomatoes
The gorgeous red color of ripe, juicy tomatoes is one of their major attraction. It is also a sign of the high concentration of a powerful antioxidant, named lycopene, in them. Studies suggest that lycopene can have some protective effect against prostate cancer. In laboratory studies, it has also been shown to stop tumor cell growth in breast, lung, and uterus malignancies. Bell peppers and watermelons are other good sources of lycopene.
Please note that, as far as lycopene is concerned, cooked tomatoes have more nutritional value than raw ones. This is because cooking tomatoes breaks down the cell walls in the vegetable, and thus, lycopene becomes more available. In general, some foods are more nutritious when cooked and others in the raw state. Always ask your nutritionist about the best way to consume a food item.
Carrots
Carrots are another cancer-fighting superfood best consumed cooked. These widely eaten vegetables are also widely admired for their lovely orange color. As in tomatoes, the characteristic color of carrots is a testament to their health-promoting abilities. They indicate the high concentration of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Studies have found promising signs of its effects against some types of cancer.
Let’s pause here for a moment to reflect on the significance of colors in the world of fruits and vegetables. More often than not, the beautiful display of colors in the plant kingdom signifies the presence of some beneficial compound- such as antioxidants. That’s why many nutritionists recommend turning your fruit and vegetable plate into a pallet of colors with items such as red tomatoes and orange carrots. Now that you are embarking upon a journey of healthy eating don’t forget the power of color.
Strawberries
We began our discussion of superfoods for cancer with blueberries, and perhaps it is fitting to finish it with another kind of berries- strawberries. This is because berries as a family possess high concentrations of antioxidants and remarkable cancer-fighting properties.
Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and ellagic acid, both potent antioxidants. Like their counterparts in carrot and tomato, these antioxidants have shown promising results in inhibiting cancer cell growth in laboratory studies. Strawberries, as delicious cancer-fighting fruits, can be of great use in preparing excellent salads and snacks for the times cancer chemotherapy zaps your appetite.
Bottom Line
When it comes to superfoods for cancer, it is important to distinguish reality from hype. Don’t fall for claims of the extra-ordinary power of some magical food item against cancer, and don’t concentrate on superfoods at the expense of neglecting a healthy diet and your treatment. Instead, incorporate the fantastic, often delicious cancer-fighting superfoods into your healthy diet.
Remember! You do not need to trek to far-off mountains in search of superfoods for cancer. Often, they are staring you in the eye from the fruit and vegetable aisles of your local supermarket. Visit our website today to learn more about superfoods for cancer and how to use them.