6 Cancer Fighting Superfoods

There's good news. Food can help you win your war against cancer. Most people, unless you are a doctor or patient of cancer, are unaware that cancer grows out of cells that every person normally has in their body. It's certain bad habits or genes that makes these cells grow abnormally, creating a tumor. Inflammation is the major cause of this abnormal growth, which can get triggered because of many reasons like eating too much sugar, packaged food, refined carbs or oil. But findings of 2010 European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition show that consuming anti-inflammatory foods and making some lifestyle changes can actually reduce your chances of getting cancer by up to 40%!

Also read: Eat Grapes To Kill Cancer Cells

Any food that is high in antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatory phytonutrients is a cancer-fighting superfood. And any food that is rich in phthalates or toxins is a cancer-causing food. So here's a list of 6 anti-cancer foods that you should definitely include in your everyday diet to ward off cancer.

1. Leafy Greens

This includes vegetables like spinach, lettuce and kale. These veggies are rich sources of antioxidants like Vitamin C, beta-carotene and lutein that fight off damage causing free-radicals. The American Institute for Cancer Research has shown that chemicals called glucosinolates in these foods reprogram cancer cells to die.

2. Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower

These foods are rich in glutathione, an antioxidant which has high radical-killing ability. Also, as good sources of isothiocyanates, they detox the body at a cellular level to prevent cancer. Broccoli in particular is dense in sulforaphane, a compound that boosts the production of protective enzymes in our body to fight cancer.
 

3. Tomato

The carotenoid lycopene, that gives tomatoes it's characteristic red color has been found to stop endometrial cancer cell growth, according to a study published in Nutrition and Cancer. The juicy fruit can also save men from prostate cancer because of its antioxidants that protect the DNA in our cells from damage.
 

4. Berries

Cherries, strawberries, black raspberry and most other berries are super sources of proanthocyanidin antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin A. Additionally, they possess a powerful antiviral agent called gallic acid that strengthens our immunity system to identify and kill cancerous cells.
 

5. Garlic

Eating garlic rich foods significantly decreases your risk towards stomach and colon cancer. It has also been found that garlic has phytochemicals that prevent abnormal cells from multiplying and also stops carcinogens from forming in the stomach.

6. Beans

Red kidney beans, more commonly known to us as 'rajma' is more than just a tasty meal. These beans increase the levels of the fatty acid butyrate in the body which protects us from cancer. Black beans are particularly effective against colon and breast cancer.