Promising Anti-cancer Foods!

Back in 1949, the American Medical Association declared, “There is no scientific evidence that food or other nutritional essentials are of any specific value in the control of cancer.” Today, that relationship is well established, as scientists have identified many anti-cancer properties in fruits and vegetables. Check these tips to make sure you’re getting the optimal nutrition.

1. Pesticides, fillers, food dyes, and nitrates are some of the chemicals lurking in our everyday foods. Give yourself the gift of non-toxic nutrition by washing your fruits and vegetables thoroughly, buying organic produce, eating whole grains, cutting out processed meats, buying “free range” chicken and hormone-free beef and dairy products, and giving dyes, sugars, and artificial ingredients the heave-ho. If you are not near a health food store or food coop, you might want to find a service that delivers organic food to your home or office. One such company is Urban Organic while another is Organic Express.
2. Red grapes and grape juice. Grape skins contain resveratrol, a phytoalexin, and other potent anti-cancer chemicals. Grape seeds contain pycnogenol, which is reputed to have anti-cancer properties, so if you can, crunch them rather than spitting them out. 
3. Almonds and especially almond extract contain benzaldehyde, shown in Japanese clinical studies to exert an anti-cancer effect. So splash some into drinks and find creative ways to work this nut and flavoring into your diet. Brazil nuts are in the news too. In animal studies, they’ve been found to be more protective against cancer than pure selenium selenite. They also contain ellagic acid, which may remove or block cancer causing toxins. Adding a few of them a day to your diet sounds like a smart idea.
4. Most of us know by now that broccoli is a powerful food. It contains indoles, including sulfurophane, an isothiocyanate that seems to be a blocker of breast tumors. Are you getting enough of this great green food?
5. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant with strong anti-cancer effects. For absorption, remember that they must be eaten with a small amount of oil, as in tomato sauce, ketchup, or a fresh tomato salad with a drizzle of olive oil.
6. Garlic is in the category of allium vegetables which contain organosulfur compounds and have many health benefits, including inhibiting cancer. Garlic also contains selenium, which can block early stage breast cancer.
7. Did you know that eating citrus fruits, including the peel, will help boost your cancer fighting ability? They contain chemicals called monoterpenes, including d-limonene, and have shown particular value in preventing breast, liver and lung cancer. Try kumquats which you can eat rind and all.
8. Shitake, maitake, mu ehr (tree ears), oysters, and other mushrooms contain anti-cancer lectins and should be added to your diet.
9. Green tea contains catechins such as EGCG as well as other anti-cancer bioflavonoids. Decaffeinated green tea is available, and makes an excellent healthy drink. If you have a coffee or black tea habit, try replacing them with green tea.