The food that you eat is directly related to your health. Having a balanced diet can help you lower the risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and also cancer. Cancer development in particular shows to be heavily influenced by your diet. There are many beneficial compounds present in food that can help in decreasing the growth of cancer. Let’s take a look at some of the food items that may help to reduce the risk of cancer:

Broccoli

A plant compound called sulforaphane which is found in cruciferous vegetables is found in abundance in broccoli. Sulforaphane is said to have potent anti-cancer properties in it. It has been proved in a test-tube study that sulforaphane reduced the size and the number of breast cancer cells by up to 75%. It has also been shown to help kill off prostate cancer cells and it reduced tumor volume by 50%. Still, further studies show that a higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli may also be linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer. There may be huge cancer-fighting benefits by including broccoli in your meals a few times per week.

Carrots

Eating food items like carrots may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Some studies say that carrots may help in reducing stomach cancer by 26% and prostate cancer by 18%. Yet another study also states that smokers who did not eat carrots were three times more likely to develop lung cancer than smokers who ate carrots more than once per week. In order to potentially reduce the risk of cancer, try incorporating foods like carrots in your diet.

Beans

Beans being high in fiber may help protect you against colorectal cancer. By eating a few servings of beans each week may help increase your fiber intake and thereby help lower the risk of developing cancer.

Berries

Berries are high in plant pigments called anthocyanins, which have antioxidant properties and may be associated with a reduced risk of cancer. A study was conducted wherein freeze-dried black raspberries were given to patients with oral cancer. It was proven that the raspberries decreased the levels of certain markers associated with cancer progression. Hence berries may help inhibit the development of cancer and should be included in your diet.

Cinnamon

There are a lot of health benefits associated with cinnamon, including its ability to reduce blood sugar and ease inflammation. Certain studies have shown that cinnamon may also help block the spread of cancer cells. Including at least half to one teaspoon of cinnamon to your diet per day can help reduce the risk of cancer.

Nuts

The risk of getting certain types of cancer can be lowered by eating foods like nuts. Brazil nuts are very high in selenium and this can help protect against lung cancer. Animal studies also show that walnuts decreased the growth rate of breast cancer cells by 80%.

Olive Oil

This oil which is the staple of the Mediterranean diet is loaded with health benefits. Several studies even show that a higher intake of olive oil may help protect against cancer. Swapping olive oil in place of other oils is the best way to take advantage of all the health benefits that it brings.