28 foods that may help prevent cancer

Add some of these healthy foods to your diet to help prevent cancer and keep other diseases at bay.

Garlic contains sulfur compounds that may stimulate the immune system’s natural defences against cancer and may have the potential to reduce tumour growth, explains nutritionist Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD, in Stealth Health: How to Sneak Nutrition Painlessly into Your Diet. It’s not just garlic either. Garlic, onions, leeks, chives, spring onions and shallots are allium vegetables and the latest research shows that this family may reduce the risk for colorectal cancer. Specifically, adults who consumed the most allium vegetables had a 79 per cent lower the risk of developing colorectal cancer than those who consumed the least.

Broccoli is one you should eat frequently. Research has long suggested that sulforaphane – a compound present in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables – may help to prevent cancer or slow its progression, and research out of Oregon State University suggests that sulforaphane protects against cancer by reducing the expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in prostate cancer cells, which in turn, disrupted the cells’ ability to form colonies and spread.

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They’re a rich source of selenium, a trace mineral that convinces cancer cells to commit suicide and helps cells repair their DNA, Tribole writes. A Harvard study of more than 1,000 men with prostate cancer found that those with the highest blood levels of selenium were 48 per cent less likely to develop advanced disease over 13 years than men with the lowest levels. And a dramatic five-year study conducted at Cornell University and the University of Arizona showed that 200 micrograms of selenium daily – the amount in two unshelled Brazil nuts – resulted in 63 per cent fewer prostate tumours, 58 per cent fewer colorectal cancers, 46 per cent fewer lung malignancies, and a 39 per cent overall decrease in cancer deaths. Practise moderation, though: too many Brazil nuts can lead to selenium toxicity.

Eating citrus fruit may lower risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most common types of oesophageal cancer, according to a 2018 review study in the journal Medicine.

Blueberries have antioxidant and other cancer-fighting power. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, which are unstable compounds that can damage cells and lead to diseases including cancer. Now new research suggests that they can boost the effectiveness of cancer therapy. Researchers out of the University of Missouri-Columbia found adding blueberry extract to radiation therapy can significantly improve the treatment effectiveness (their findings appear in Pathology and Oncology Research).

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Artichokes are a great source of silymarin, an antioxidant that may help prevent skin cancer, explains Tribole. To eat these delicious veggies, peel off the tough outer leaves on the bottom, slice the bottom, and cut off the spiky top. Then boil or steam until tender, about 30-45 minutes. Drain. Dip each leaf in a vinaigrette or garlic mayonnaise, then gently tear the fibrous covering off with your front teeth, working your way inward to the tender heart. Once there, gently scoop the bristles from the middle of the heart, dip in a little butter or lemon juice, and enjoy.

Australian researchers found that people who ate four or more servings of fish per week were nearly one-third less likely to develop the blood cancers leukaemia, myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Tribole explains. Other studies show a link between eating fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines and tuna, as well as prawns and scallops) with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer in normal-weight women. Ah, those amazing omega-3s at it again.

Kiwi is a little hand grenade of cancer-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein and copper. You can also rub a couple of cut kiwi fruit on a low-fat cut of meat as a tenderiser, Tribole suggests.

A diet high in onions may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 50 per cent. But the effects are strongest when they’re eaten raw or lightly cooked. So try spring onions, Vidalia onions, shallots, or chives for a milder taste.