When eaten as part of a healthy and balanced diet, certain foods can help reduce the risk of cancer. Unfortunately, no one food item can help keep you cancer-free. But there are certain foods that when included in your diet can help lower the chances of you developing cancer. You need to make sure that your diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes which will give your body the range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that it needs.
Weight gain can also be prevented if you are conscious of what you eat and eating healthy can also help lower body fat. The number of hormones in the body increase with excess weight and when these excess hormones go unused, they can promote cancer cell growth, thereby increasing a woman’s risk of both breast and uterine cancer. Let’s take a look at the list of foods that women should include in their diet in order to lower their cancer risks:
1. Lentils
Lentils are foods that are rich in dietary fibers. Having enough fiber content in your body may help reduce colorectal cancer. Fiber helps your gut to produce chemicals that may stop tumor cells from forming. Your weight is also maintained as fiber keeps you full longer. Hence you are not tempted to snack in between meals, thereby staying away from all those extra calories.
2. Garlic
Garlic is loaded with selenium, manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Some research suggests that these nutrients may help ward off cancer cell growth in the intestines. Although garlic has quite a pungent smell, it acts as a great seasoning and helps lower the risk of stomach, colon and breast cancer in women.
3. Leafy greens vegetables
Some of the more nutritious foods that can be added to your everyday diet include dark leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli. Food items like green vegetables are loaded and bursting with fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that can help reduce the risks of many types of cancers including colorectal cancer. Including foods leafy vegetables in your diet can also help you maintain your weight as well as reduce the risk of cancer development.
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are high in lycopene which is a natural chemical that is found in plants. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant in this food item and it can help lower your chances of getting breast, lung and stomach cancer.
5. Grapes
Grapes contain the antioxidant resveratrol, which can block the formation of breast, liver, stomach and lymphatic system cancer in women. Remember to eat the grapes with the skin intact as the skin has the most resveratrol. It has to be noted that red and purple grapes have more resveratrol than the green variety.
6. Onions
An antioxidant called quercetin is found in abundance in onions. This antioxidant can help fight cancer by lowering inflammation in your body. Certain studies show that shallots and yellow onions are particularly good at protecting women from liver and colon cancer.
Including all these foods in your diet may help your body protect you against the risk of developing cancer.
