If you ever read the list of ineffective cancer treatments, you will be amazed to find that many so-called cancer-fighting foods are on that list. That include aloe, cayenne pepper, ginger, ginseng, grapes, red wine, mushroom, mangosteen, noni juice, saw palmetto, soursop, walnuts, and many others. According to the American Cancer Society, US Federal Trade Commission and other institutions, many of these foods do not have adequate evidence to support their claims to prevent or treat cancer. The following 5 seem to work better, well, they are not on that ineffective food list.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family, which also consists of cauliflower, bok choy, kale, mustard greens, radishes, turnips, watercress, and brussels sprouts.
Broccoli contains sulforaphane, an anticarcinogen which inhibits the development of cancer. According to a research from the University of Illinois, the best way to prepare broccoli is to steam if lightly for 3 to 4 minutes. In that way, a sulfur-grabbing protein would be eliminated, but the cancer-fighting component sulforaphane would be remained unchanged. While rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber, broccoli also contains other anti-cancer properties such as diindolylmethane and selenium, and a good source of indole-3-carbinol, which can boost DNA repair and happen to block the growth of cancer cells.
Diets high in cruciferous vegetables appear to be linked with a lower risk of certain types of cancer such as colon and bladder cancers.
Garlic
The close relatives of garlic include onion, shallot, leek, and chive.
Several compounds in garlic are found to have antibiotic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumour effects, but one type in particular, the allixin and its analogs are said to play a major role in cancer prevention.. These compounds reportedly help our body get rid of cancer-causing components and let cancer cells die off normally.
Evidence from available studies nevertheless suggests a preventive effect of garlic consumption in stomach, prostate, mouth and throat, kidney, and colorectal cancers.
Seaweed
Seaweed is a type of algae that grows in or near the sea. Other common names include sea vegetable, red, brown and green algae, nori, kombu, wakami, zicai, and gim.
Seaweed and other sea vegetables contain beta-carotene, protein, fiber, chlorophyll, as well as chlorophylones, an important fatty acids that may help in the fight against breast cancer. Many sea vegetables also have a high concentration of calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Studies suggest that people who eat seaweed and other sea vegetables regularly tend to show that they have less breast cancer than those whose diet relies more on meat.
Soybean
Soybean, a member of the pea family and a source of high-quality protein, is a species of legume native to Southeast Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses. Traditional food uses of soybeans include tofu, tofu skin, soy milk, roasted soybeans, soy powder.
Soybean contains isoflavones such as genistein, daidzein, and glycitein, are considered by some researchers to be useful in the role of reducing cancer risk.
Scientific research suggests that overall the moderate consumption of soy products may have a protective effect against developing breast and prostate cancer. However, soy dietary supplements should be avoided as there is no evidence they are either effective or safe at preventing or treating cancers.
Tomato
Tomatoes are the most important food source of lycopene, others such as apricots, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit are also good sources of lycopene.
Studies show that cooked tomatoes are better than raw ones, heating process somehow increases the amount of lycopene your body can absorb. However, whether lycopene in tomatoes may help prevent cancer or not, remains inconclusive. Some population studies have found that a diet high in lycopene is linked with a lower risk of prostate cancer. Other studies, however, found no link between tomato products and prostate cancer. Since tomatoes also contain other nutrients like vitamins, potassium, and antioxidants, it may be that other compounds in tomatoes account for the protective effects first thought to be due to lycopene. Further studies are needed to find out if any possible anti-cancer properties do exist in tomatoes.
People who have diets rich in tomatoes, appear in some studies to have a lower risk of certain types of cancer like prostate, lung, and stomach cancers.