According to the American Cancer Society, the average adult in the United States has about a forty percent chance of developing cancer during their lifetime [1]. Because it is such a prevalent disease, doctors and scientists are constantly searching for treatments and cures. When it comes to cancer research, one of the main focuses is prevention. While most experts agree that there is nothing you can do to guarantee that you will not develop cancer, there are many lifestyle factors that can help decrease your risk significantly.
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One of these is diet. Eating certain anti-cancer foods, while not likely to actively fight cancer, can help prevent it. “Research tells us that making healthy food choices consistently over time can reduce your risk of getting cancer, but you can’t say with absolute certainty that food can prevent cancer,” says wellness dietitian Lindsey Wohlford. “There are no guarantees.” [2]
The dietary habits that affect cancer risk can be attributed to having too much of some things, and too little of others.
Too much red & processed meats, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and sugars, can increase your cancer risk. So too can too little exercise and too few phytochemical-rich foods [3]. You may have heard the term “anti-cancer foods” before. To be clear, there are no foods that can actually fight against cancer, however, there are some foods that, when consumed regularly, provide your body with certain nutrients that it needs in order to effectively prevent cancer from developing.
“Anti cancer foods” are usually plant foods that contain phytochemicals (mentioned above). Also referred to as phytonutrients, these chemicals are compounds found in plants that can help prevent a number of chronic diseases, including cancer [2]. In order to decrease your risk of developing cancer, doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, and other health care practitioners recommend that you eat a variety of phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
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