Effective Diet Choices Incorporate Many Anti-Cancer Foods: Expert Opinion
Key Takeaways:
- Weight loss can decrease cancer risk, but not all diets aid in lowering this risk.
- Dietary plans beneficial for cancer prevention incorporate a diverse range of food groups to fulfill all nutritional requirements. Notable examples include Mediterranean-inspired and Whole Body diets.
- Avoid diets recommending short-term transformations as they often miss out on essential nutrients needed by the body everyday.
- Going for gluten-free or low-carb diets without any diagnosed health issues can deprive the body of crucial nutrients, fibers, vitamins, and minerals that have anti-cancer properties.
- Rather than eliminating carbs altogether, opting for healthier options like whole grains is recommended.
Weight loss can contribute to a decreased cancer risk, especially for individuals who are overweight or obese. However, it’s important to note that not all diets assist in reducing this risk, according to experts.
Dietary Plans for Cancer Prevention
Dietary plans that guard against cancer prompt long-lasting adjustments to eating habits. They offer a diverse range of food groups to ensure all nutritional requirements are satisfied, states Daxaben Amin, a seasoned clinical dietitian within the clinical nutrition division at the eminent University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Mediterranean-Inspired Diet
The Mediterranean-based diet advocates for an enduring dedication to nutrition and adheres to many of the dietary guidelines that aim to prevent both cancer and heart disease. These include:
- An abundance of fruits, vegetation, and other plant-based elements.
- Opting for herbs and spices to enhance food flavor in place of salt.
- Keeping consumption of both red meat and alcohol to a minimum.
- Utilizing healthy fats like olive and canola oils over butter.
- Regular intake of fish and poultry, ideally at least on two occasions per week.
Whole Body Diet
Another commendable diet is the whole-body kind, which suggests the consumption of six to seven mini meals daily as opposed to three substantial ones. The benefits of this diet for cancer prevention include:
- Including at least 50% of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your daily meals.
- Reducing high-fat foods.
- Incorporating lean proteins into your meals.
- Maintaining regular physical activity.
However, Amin cautions against diet plans encouraging short-term transformation as they typically lack the nutrients required by the body on a daily basis.
Food Restrictions to Avoid
While gluten-free diets are trending, Amin advises that unless a person is diagnosed with celiac disease, they shouldn’t adopt a gluten-free lifestyle. Doing so means foregoing whole grains which carry a fantastic source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals—all beneficial in guarding cells against damages that can result in cancer.
Sovereign of carbohydrate diets is another ill-advised option. The total exclusion of carbohydrates robs the body of its principal energy source and several crucial cancer-fighting foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans.
“Rather than completely avoiding carbs, be wise in your selection. Opt for whole grains as opposed to cakes, cookies, and other foods containing processed or refined grains and sugars,” recommends Amin.
Further Reading
Additional information on cancer prevention is available from the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
