Berries
Berries are something that most people agree tastes good. Just about any food with word “berry” in it is extremely healthy. Most berries contain ellagic acid and other polyphenol antioxidants that inhibit tumor growth. Don’t get too caught up in one kind of berry and focus on a variety of seasonal berries and add them to plain, no-fat yogurt.
Chocolate
Chocolate has endured countless studies by scientists determined to prove this can’t possibly be healthy. But it is healthy, provided the cocoa-to-candy ratio remains high. Reach for a dark chocolate bar with at least 70-percent cocoa, preferably more. The closer it is to its bitter bean state, the better. One again those antioxidants and therapeutic polyphenols are at work. In particular there is a class of chemicals in cocoa called catechins, also found in tea, that seem to offer protection against heart disease, stroke and cancer, according to studies on South American people who consume the cocoa bean generously.
Ginger and turmeric
Ginger and turmeric are about as close as you can get to good-tasting medicine. Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and can slow cancer growth. Turmeric, the spice that forms the base of most curries, is from a root in the ginger family. The active ingredient is curcumin, which can kill cancer cells quickly, although in a test tube. Ginger and turmeric enhance the flavor of most any meal and come with a long list of healthful benefits. Yes, you can get both ginger and turmeric in a pill form. But pill supplements are usually dumb ideas. Add these to your spice rack, not medicine cabinet.
Beans and lentils
Beans and lentils contain numerous phytochemicals, far too cumbersome to read in one sitting, that have been shown in the laboratory to slow or prevent damage to the DNA, the basis of cancer. The added benefit comes with the fiber, associated with lower risk of digestive cancers such as colon cancer. It is a superior choice to chicken or mutton.
Green tea
Start drinking up to a half-gallon of green tea a day, cold or hot, caffeine be damned. (Tea only has one third of the caffeine found in most coffee.) Green tea has epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and catechins, which retards cancer growth.
The most potent green tea comes from Japan and supermarkets carry many varieties. Note also that black teas lose healthy catechins in the fermentation process; and decaffeinated teas lose catechins in the washing process.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a proto-hormone that seems to interfere with cancer growth. Many studies on humans have shown vitamin D is instrumental in reducing the risk of colon and breast cancer and improving the survival rates of lung cancer. The precise mechanism is not known, but most researchers in recent years have become increasingly convinced that few of us get enough vitamin D through sunlight or diet. Vitamin D can be found in eggs, mushrooms, catfish, salmon, sardines, or mackerel.
Folate
Folate, and the related folic acid or vitamin B9, is part of the vitamin B-complex family, which as a whole has cancer-preventive properties. The cancer-folate relationship is complex. People with diets low in folate seem to have higher rates of cancer. Diets high in folate don’t necessarily prevent cancer, but they don’t seem to hurt. The lack of folate might enable cancer to get the upper hand, allowing mutations to occur unchecked. Leafy green vegetables, beans, peas and lentils are all generally high in folate.
Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are those in the mustard or cabbage family, and the list is exhaustive. These vegetables, in varying degrees, are rich in anti-cancer properties such as diindolylmethane, sulforaphane and the element selenium. The punch comes with the crunch: Chewing, more so than subsequent digestion, releases these chemicals. Thus, it is important not to overcook these greens. Even tough collards, if fresh, can be chopped thin and pan-fried in a few minutes, as opposed to the traditional methods of boiling the hell out of these.
Dark green vegetables
This category of vegetables overlaps the cruciferous family and includes chard, spinach and beets. These vegetables contain, among other goodies, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin — each of which are powerful antioxidants that can block early cancer development. They are also high in folate.
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