These 5 Fruits Kill Cancer and 5 Foods to Avoid for a Healthier Lifestyle | STORY PLUS TV

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Story Plus TV podcast. Eating a variety of fruits on a regular basis can lead to a long list of health benefits, including a reduced risk of cancer. Fruits are an important and very delicious part of a healthy plant-based diet, says Candice Schreiber, R.D., C.S.O.L.D., a clinical nutritionist at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, James Cancer Hospital, and Solove Research Institute, OSUCC, James. They help fight inflammation, and chronic inflammation is a precursor to cancer. She says, adding that the nutrients, vitamins, and phytochemicals in fruit can possibly stop carcinogens before they have a chance to begin developing cancer, and can block the formation of new blood vessels tumors need to grow. Nutrients in fruits can also stimulate the immune system and act as antioxidants. Schreiber recommends 1.5 to 2 cups of a variety of fruits a day. Not many Americans meet this requirement, she says. Eat as many different fruits you can, as no single one can protect you from cancer. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and maintaining a proper weight are the best prevention tools. Here's a taste of 5 fantastic fruits that can reduce the risk of some types of cancer, as well as 5 foods that are linked to a higher risk of cancer. Berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins. Studies suggest potential links between strawberries and esophageal cancer. Antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation linked to cancer development. Berries boast vibrant colors and sweet flavors, but their true strength lies in their rich antioxidant content, especially phytochemicals like anthocyanins. Research links berry consumption to potentially lower risks of various cancers, including bladder and esophageal. Incorporating these delicious fruits into your diet, whether fresh, frozen, or in smoothies, is a simple way to harness their potential cancer-fighting benefits. An apple a day. The ubiquitous apple is inexpensive, available all year, and comes in seemingly endless varieties. Apples are a good source of fiber and vitamin C, exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and contain pectin, a fiber which the bacteria in your gut can use to produce compounds that protect the cells in the colon, Schreiber says. And you should eat the peel of the apple, as it contains at least one-third of all these healthy phytochemicals. She recommends eating a whole or cut apple as a snack, dicing them for salads, and slicing them to add a sweet crunch to sandwiches. She also suggests baking or roasting cubes of apples with vegetables to add some sweetness. You say tomato. Tomatoes are a fruit, and a very healthy one. They are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that has displayed anti-cancer potential in several laboratory studies. Cooking tomatoes increases the lycopene, and cooking them with some type of fat, such as olive oil, increases the body's ability to absorb that lycopene. Many phytochemicals, such as lycopene, work synergistically when combined with other phytochemicals from a different fruit or vegetable, Schreiber says. For example, tomatoes and broccoli, studies have shown that when they're combined, they lower prostate cancer growth more than when they're eaten separately. Citrus fruits like lemon, grapefruits, oranges, limes, pineapples are more than just the tangy taste they fill your mouth with. They come with capabilities that have been medically proven to reduce the risk of having cancer. Grapefruit is known to help suppress the creation of cancer cells during colon cancer. Grapefruit also helps fight diabetes, promoting detoxification. Grapes contain proanthocyanidins that help in fighting breast, prostate, and colon cancer. Even cancer dietician recommend having citrus fruits in our daily life that not only improve our immunity, but also keep us young. The Awesome Avocado Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated fat and also contain several vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. They contain fiber and potassium, which helps maintain a normal heart rate and can help lower blood pressure. While avocados have a lot of benefits, Schreiber warns against having too much of a good thing, Be careful, because avocados also have a lot of calories, about 250 maybe more, per fruit she says, adding that the guacamole served at many restaurants contain lots of high-calorie oils. If you're going to eat guacamole, I suggest you make it at home and only use lime juice, cilantro, and chopped up garlic and onions, maybe some tomatoes. Schreiber also recommends adding avocado to salads, sandwiches, and smoothies. 5 Foods to Avoid for a Healthier Lifestyle By minimizing your consumption of these potentially harmful foods and making healthier choices, you can help reduce your cancer risk and promote a healthier lifestyle. 1. Processed Meats Processed meats like hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and bologna are often high in salt, saturated fats, and additives such as nitrites and nitrates, which are used as preservatives. These ingredients can form carcinogenic compounds, meaning they have the potential to cause cancer when cooked at high temperatures. Research shows that regular consumption of processed meats has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer and other types of cancer. 2. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, fruit juices with added sugars, energy drinks, and sweetened teas, provide excess calories and contribute to weight gain and obesity. Consuming a lot of sugar can also lead to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Both of these conditions are associated with an increased risk of cancer, particularly breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer. Other studies have reported associations of sugar-sweetened beverages with the risk of breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers. Opting for water, herbal teas, or unsweetened beverages can reduce your sugar intake and cancer risk. 3. Ultra-Processed Foods Highly processed foods are all around us. From fast food and packaged snacks to sugary cereals and frozen meals, these items often contain a lot of unhealthy fats, refined sugars, and artificial additives. These foods lack essential nutrients and fiber while being calorie-dense. As such, they contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of cancer, particularly obesity-related cancers like breast, colorectal, and esophageal cancer. Choosing whole, minimally processed foods whenever possible can help reduce your exposure to harmful additives and support overall health. 4. Charred or Overcooked Meats Cooking meats at high temperatures, grilling, broiling, or frying red meats can lead to the formation of heterocyclic amines, HCAs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, which are carcinogenic compounds. Charring or overcooking meats can increase the formation of these compounds, potentially increasing the risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. To reduce exposure to HCAs and PAHs, consider cooking meats at lower temperatures, using marinades with herbs and spices, and avoiding direct exposure to flames or smoke. 5. Alcohol Drinking Too Much is linked to a higher risk of several types of cancer, including breast, liver, colorectal, esophageal, and stomach cancer. Alcohol can damage cells, impair DNA repair mechanisms, and increase the production of harmful free radicals, leading to oxidative stress and inflammation. Limiting alcohol intake to moderate levels, which is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men, can help lower your cancer risk and support overall health. Finally, we would like to express our deep gratitude to all of you who took your valuable time to listen to our podcast. Your support and interest are a great source of encouragement to help us continue to develop and improve content quality. Please continue to support us by liking, sharing, and subscribing. We are very grateful and look forward to seeing you again in upcoming programs. Thank you very much and see you again!