The Anti-Cancer Diet

The Anti-Cancer Diet                                                                   Home

The best diet for preventing or fighting cancer is a predominantly plant-based diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A plant-based diet means eating mostly foods that come from plants: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and beans.

The less processed these foods are—the less they’ve been cooked, peeled, mixed with other ingredients, stripped of their nutrients, or otherwise altered from the way they came out of the ground—the better.

There are many ways to add plant-based foods to your diet. A nice visual reminder is to aim for a plate of food that is filled at least two-thirds with whole grains, vegetables, beans, or fruit. Dairy products, fish, and meat should take up no more than a third of the plate. Keep in mind that you don’t need to go completely vegetarian. Instead, focus on adding “whole” foods, which are foods close to their original form. Just as important, try to minimize or reduce the amount of processed foods you eat. Eat an apple instead of drinking a glass of apple juice, for example. Or enjoy a bowl of oatmeal with raisins instead of an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Simple tips for getting more plant-based foods in your diet

·         Breakfast: Add fruit and a few seeds or nuts to your whole grain breakfast cereal (such as oatmeal).

·         Lunch: Eat a big salad filled with your favorite beans and peas or other combo of veggies. Always order lettuce and tomato (plus any other veggies you can) on your sandwiches. Order whole grain bread for your sandwiches. Have a side of veggies like cut up carrots, sauerkraut, or a piece of fruit.

·         Snacks: Fresh fruit and vegetables. Grab an apple or banana on your way out the door. Raw veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, jicama, peppers, etc. are great with a low-fat dip such as hummus. Keep trail mix made with nuts, seeds, and a little dried fruit on hand.

·         Dinner: Add fresh or frozen veggies to your favorite pasta sauce or rice dish. Top a baked potato with broccoli and yogurt, sautéed veggies, or with salsa. Replace creamy pasta sauces, with sautéed vegetables or tomato sauce made with healthy olive oil.

·         Dessert: Choose fruit instead of a richer dessert. Or a single square of dark chocolate.

Simple ways to add more fiber to your diet:

·         Use brown rice instead of white rice

·         Substitute whole-grain bread for white bread

·         Choose a bran muffin over a croissant or pastry

·         Snack on popcorn instead of potato chips

·         Eat fresh fruit such as a pear, a banana, or an apple (with the skin)

·         Have a baked potato, including the skin, instead of mashed potatoes

·         Enjoy fresh carrots, celery, or bell peppers with a hummus or salsa, instead of chips and a sour cream dip

·         Use beans instead of ground meat in chili, casseroles, tacos, and even burgers (bean burgers can taste great)

Why do fruits, vegetables, and plant foods seem to protect against cancer?

Plant foods probably offer protection in a number of ways. They provide thousands of phytochemicals, which are natural plant compounds. Many are antioxidants, which seem to protect and repair our DNA. Some antioxidants appear to affect cancer cells, controlling how they grow or spread. The vitamins and minerals in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans also help produce and repair DNA and control cell growth.

Some foods can have a more direct effect on specific types of cancer. For instance, plant foods contain fiber, which seems to lower the risk of colon cancer.

There’s also an indirect benefit to eating whole foods that are low in fat. They tend to be less calorically dense, so we can fill up on them without getting so many calories

Ref: helpguide

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