3 Amazing Anti-Cancer Plant Foods You Need To Eat

by DailyHealthPost Editorial

An anti-cancer diet is a plant-based diet that is naturally high in fiber and starches. There is no secret formula; it’s quite simple and focuses on whole foods straight from the earth, such as fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, spices, nuts, seeds, and herbal teas.

3 Amazing Anti Cancer PLANT Foods You Need to Eat

These nutrient-packed foods help create a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn not only boosts our immune system but also helps protect us against diseases such as cancer. As you may already know, a huge part of our immune system is located in the gut!

What’s more, certain plant foods have powerful nutrients that can prevent and stop the growth of cancer cells in various ways.

But first, did you know that all of us have potentially cancerous cells in our bodies?

These cancer cells cannot grow into tumors larger than two millimeters unless they first form new blood vessels through a process called angiogenesis.

Cancer occurs when a group of abnormal cells grow and hijack the body’s normal, balanced system of angiogenesis. But without angiogenesis, these cancer cells would never become dangerous.

That’s because tumors need nutrients and oxygen to grow and spread, and they do this by sending out chemical signals that create new blood vessels in the area. This allows blood, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the tumor and help it keep growing. But if we block angiogenesis, we can actually slow down tumor growth and starve the cancer cells!

According to the research of Dr. William Li, the president, medical director, and co-founder of the Angiogenesis Foundation, there are many foods with remarkable anti-angiogenic properties; that is, they prevent blood vessels from feeding cancers so tumors simply can’t grow.

Some of these are green tea, ginseng, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, apples, pineapples, cherries, red grapes, kale, maitake mushrooms, turmeric, nutmeg, lavender, artichokes, pumpkins, parsley, garlic, (cooked) tomatoes, olive oil, and my personal favorite, dark chocolate.

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Many of these plant-based foods are not only anti-angiogenic, but they are also packed with compounds that can cause cancer cells to commit suicide, prevent them from spreading, and mess with their metabolism. Even more astonishingly, research has shown that when foods are combined, their anti-cancer effects become stronger.

Now, an anti-cancer diet or an anti-angiogenic diet is essentially the same as an anti-inflammatory diet. That is because inflammation is like the fuel that ignites and accelerates cancer’s relentless progression. By focusing on foods that help fight inflammation, we are also helping our body prevent and heal from cancer.

In this video, we showcase a few of the most powerful anti-cancer fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices that reduce inflammation and help your body prevent and kill cancer cells. These have been proven through lab, animal, and human studies.

Watch this video until the end to discover one tea that is 4 times more powerful than green tea.

Let’s begin with Number 3, “Anti-Cancer Fruits”.

The #1 anti-cancer fruit is “Berries”.

Berries contain ellagic acid, anthocyanins, and other compounds that can reduce mutations and shield our cells from free radicals and DNA damage, as well as slow down or stop cancer cell growth for many types of cancer.

In a 2011 study, patients with early-stage throat cancer took 60 grams of powdered, freeze-dried strawberries daily for six months. After that time, half of them were disease-free and their tumor markers had dropped significantly. All thanks to the strawberries!

And it’s not just strawberries. Animal studies have shown that cranberries can have anti-cancer effects on 9 types of cancer, including colon, bladder, stomach, prostate, and others like lymphoma and glioblastoma.

In another study, athletes who ate two cups of blueberries daily for six weeks almost doubled their blood’s cancer-destroying cells – from 2 billion to 4 billion!

Did you know that the Indian gooseberry, or amla, has the highest known antioxidant content of any food? It has 200 times more antioxidants than blueberries!

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A 2010 study found that an amla extract stopped cancer growth, killed over half of the existing cells, and greatly reduced the spread of cancer.

Now, you might be thinking, “But doesn’t fruit sugar feed cancer?” Well, natural sugars in fruits and vegetables actually give energy to cells and offer anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. That’s totally different from refined sugars, which are processed and contain chemicals.

Next, Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin.

This active compound can actually alter cancer-related genes linked to cancer cell growth. It is similar to curcumin in turmeric, which targets multiple cancer-related pathways. What’s interesting is that Habanero peppers have even more capsaicin; however, be careful—they’re super spicy!

Coming up at Number 2, we have “Anti-Cancer Vegetables”

The #1 anti-cancer vegetable is “Garlic”.

Thanks to its unique mix of phytochemicals and organosulfur compounds like allicin.

Numerous studies have shown that garlic lowers the risk of all cancers, particularly colon, stomach, intestinal, and prostate. It has antibacterial properties, can fight cancer-causing substances, helps with DNA repair, slows down cancer cell growth, and even triggers apoptosis. To help your body with healing, consume several cloves of fresh garlic per day. You can also choose an aged garlic extract.

All members of the allium family – garlic, leeks, yellow onions, and green onions – have been shown to halt the growth of cancer cells.

Next, Broccoli contains Sulforaphane.

Eating lots of broccoli and cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, may help lower the chances of certain types of cancer, such as breast and prostate cancer.

These veggies, including Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, and cabbage, contain an anti-cancer compound called indole-3-carbinol. This compound has been shown to supercharge intestinal immune cells.

And let’s not forget about sulforaphane, another compound found in broccoli. It’s produced when raw broccoli is chopped or chewed, and it’s been shown to slow tumor growth, neutralize toxins, reduce inflammation, and block mutations in DNA that lead to cancer. To reap these benefits, just chop broccoli about 30-40 minutes before cooking.

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Want even more benefits? Try broccoli sprouts! They have 25 times more sulforaphane and 100 times more indole-3-carbinol. Eating them raw allows you to enjoy their immune-boosting and detoxifying perks.

Next, Mushrooms contain Beta-Glucan.

Certain mushrooms, like maitake, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail, and shiitake, are commonly used in Japan and China to complement cancer treatments. I came across a study that found people who ate mushrooms could actually tolerate more chemotherapy treatments, possibly because they experienced fewer side effects, which could indirectly help them live longer.

These mushrooms contain a powerful anti-cancer fiber called beta-glucan, which has an incredible ability to boost the immune system.

Another interesting fact is that breast cancer rates in Asian women are six times lower than in America. Green tea and mushrooms have been identified as protective dietary factors. A 2009 study discovered that Chinese women who consumed 15 mushrooms and 15 cups of green tea monthly had a whopping 90% lower risk of breast cancer compared to those who didn’t regularly consume them.

And at Number 1, we have “Anti-Cancer Herbs & Spices”

The #1 anti-cancer spice is “Turmeric”.

It’s astonishing that while most cancer drugs target only one cancer pathway, curcumin, the active anti-cancer compound found in turmeric, actually targets at least 80 cancer-linked cell-signaling pathways. Curcumin may even hinder cancer development at every stage, including formation, tumor growth, and metastasis (spreading to other parts of the body). What’s more, it induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in various cancer cells without harming normal cells. Combine turmeric with freshly ground black pepper to boost curcumin absorption by 2,000%.

Next, Oregano is more than a spice.

Did you know oregano is a fantastic spice with anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties? It’s actually one of the top ten spices richest in antioxidants – just a teaspoon has the same antioxidant power as two cups of red grapes! Plus, it’s loaded with the anti-cancer flavonoid, quercetin, as well as vitamin K, and iron. Lab studies have shown that oregano extracts can cause cancer cell death in colon, breast, and prostate cancer.

Next, Green Tea is full of EGCG.

Green tea and matcha green are packed with anti-cancer phytonutrients called catechins, like epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, and has about 13 times more antioxidants than blueberries and pomegranates. Drinking green tea regularly has been linked to a lower risk of death from heart disease and other causes. Plus, it’s been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers, like breast, prostate, and colon cancer.

Next, Hibiscus Tea is surprisingly powerful.

Recent studies reveal that hibiscus tea has over 400% more antioxidants than green tea! This blood-pressure-lowering tea is also full of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. What’s even more interesting is that lab tests found that hibiscus extracts can stop cancer cell growth and have positive effects on inflammation, atherosclerosis, liver disease, diabetes, and other metabolic issues. This makes hibiscus tea a fantastic drink to choose from!

To learn about the causes of cancer, and get more anti-cancer foods, see our previous video “Top 10 anti-cancer foods”.

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To recap, to prevent cancer and even slow down its progression, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, which are naturally high in fiber and starch. To get your free anti-inflammatory diet plan, click the link below.

At the same time, avoid all the fast food, junk food, or processed food we covered in detail in our video “5 foods that cause gut inflammation“. Your microbiome plays an absolutely important role in preventing cancer, so be sure to watch this video as well as “8 ways to improve your gut microbiome“.

What’s interesting is that researchers have discovered that a high-fiber diet increases the production of butyrate in the gut. Butyrate is a byproduct of fiber metabolism with powerful anti-cancer effects. Additionally, people who live beyond 100 years have higher levels of butyrate and gut bacteria that produce it.

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