Nutrient-rich whole foods protect against cancer
The University of Berkeley examined the relationship between nutrition and health maintenance. Studies show that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of cancer.
A diet of whole foods is rich in all known vitamins and minerals, as well as thousands of phytonutrients. Researchers are only now beginning to discover their positive effects.
These are just some of the examples:
- A large body of evidence suggests that folic acid reduces the risk of colon cancer as well as cardiovascular disease. Vegetables, especially leafy greens, are rich in folic acid.
- Broccoli and other cabbage vegetables contain glycosinolates. Glucosinolates stimulate the production of enzymes responsible for detoxifying the body from carcinogenic substances.
- Powerful anthocyanins from blueberries have an amazing ability to penetrate cell membranes. They protect cells with their antioxidant action. They can also reduce the level of inflammation. They can also help prevent DNA damage throughout the body.
- There is a correlation between the regular detection of tomatoes and the cause of the risk of cancer. Tomatoes are rich in a phytonutrient called lycopene.
Nutrient-rich whole foods come together to offer greater protection against cancer
Combining broccoli with tomato maximizes the cancer protection provided by both products. Namely, animals fed tomatoes and broccoli have a lower number of prostate cancer cases. In contrast, animals that were fed with only one of these products or animal feed with the addition of lycopene or finasteride had a higher number of cases. Finasteride is a drug usually prescribed to men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
In the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, John Erdman published the results of a study on the interaction between substances and their impact on cancer. In this study, lycopene provided lab animals with weak protection against prostate cancer. It also contained fermented tomato juice that greatly increased their chances of surviving prostate cancer.
The conclusion reached by the scientists is that it is the combinations of phytonutrients, not the isolated nutrients, that provide protection against cancer. The cumulative and synergistic share of phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables is responsible for this strong antioxidant and anticancer effect equally. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides health benefits that can be attributed to the complex composition of phytonutrients present in whole foods. This explains why no single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables.
Evidence points to the conclusion that the best way to get antioxidants is through whole foods. The recommendation to eat 5 to 10 pieces of different fruits and vegetables is an appropriate strategy to significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases. It is also necessary to maintain optimal health.
