Get advice on healthy eating, nutrition, and weight loss from expert dietitian Tara Gidus.
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As a dietitian, I often preach about the power of nutrition
as medicine. I had a client come in recently with high cholesterol, high LDL,
and high triglycerides and after changing his diet for a month, he saw those
numbers drop to almost normal. He was amazed by what changing his unhealthy
diet to a more balanced diet did for his health!
Research continues to support positive health interactions between vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals common in fruits and vegetables that can help prevent and even fight chronic disease. Cancer is one of the big ailments that many researchers are working towards to find a cure. The American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) even has its own dietary guidelines that align closely with the new "My Plate" recommendations with at least 2/3 of your plate to be filled with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans. And why is this? Well, because all of these foods listed below have been shown by evidenced based research to be cancer fighting foods! How many of these superfoods do you have on your plate today?
• Beans are high in fiber and have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth and slow tumor progression.
• Berries are a great source of vitamin C and fiber that may prevent certain cancers and also slow cancer cell growth and proliferation.
• Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale) are non-starchy vegetables that have been proven to provide protective anti-cancer properties.
• Dark Green Leafy Vegetables (spinach, kale, lettuce, greens, chicory, and swiss chard) are great sources of folate, fiber, and phytochemicals that protect cells from damage.
• Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acid and phytoestrogens that have been shown to inhibit cancer growth.
• Garlic may protect against certain cancers and slow or stop the growth of others when part of a mostly plant-based diet.
• Grapes and Grape Juice contain the phytochemical resveratrol which is found in the skin of red and purple grapes. It has shown promise in preventing and slowing tumor progression.
• Soy contains isoflavones and other phytochemicals that have been shown to inhibit cancer growth.
• Tomatoes appear to protect against some cancers by preventing cellular damage.
• Whole Grains are rich in fiber and hundreds of other anti-cancer and protective phytochemicals.
