If you have never experienced pancreatic pain, you may not even know exactly what the organ is or its importance in your body. The pancreas is part of the digestive system and lies in the abdominal cavity behind the stomach. Your pancreas is responsible for producing many important hormones like insulin, polypeptides, somatostatin, and glucagon.
The pancreas is spongy and produces the enzymes that break down food–different ones for different foods. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas that results in severe pain, fever, and diarrhea. Health of this organ is vital for overall health. There are many foods that can help protect your pancreas–eight of the most popular follow.
1. Garlic
Garlic is an allium species vegetable; other members of this family include leeks, shallots, onions, chives, and fenugreek. These foods contain sulfur, arginine, selenium, oligosaccharides, and flavonoids that have been shown to prevent pancreatic cancer.[1]
2. Spinach
Spinach is an excellent choice for a healthy pancreas.
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed a diet that includes spinach and other vegetables provides protective agents against pancreatic cancer.[2]