You probably didn’t believe your mother when she told you that eating vegetables is good for your health. After all, vegetables look so plain and well, they don’t taste so good.
But more than just giving you healthy eyesight and helping ward off common illnesses, vegetables can also help prevent you from having cancer. This bit is of course very important because cancers can be fatal.
Currently, there is no known cure to cancer. That is why doctors often advice patients to take steps in preventing it before anything else. And eating vegetables is one way to do that.
Below is a list of ten of the most effective cancer-fighting vegetables. Read on and learn more.
1. Tomato – is probably the best-known cancer-fighting vegetable. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitaminn E which effectively fight free radicals which are known to increase the likelihood of developing cancer. And there’s an additional benefit in having tomatoes in your diet. They are also rich in lycopene which helps prevent heart disease.
2. Garlic – sure, garlic isn’t the vegetable of choice if you want to have sweet-smelling breath, but it does its job well if you want to prevent cancer. Garlic is known to slow down the development of tumors which is good in combating cancers early. Aside from that, it can help prevent certain cancers such as breast and colon cancers.
3. Carrots – ever wondered why Bugs Bunny never suffered from lung cancer? That’s because he didn’t smoke and he always eat raw carrots. Kidding aside, carrots can be very effective in fighting common cancers such as cancer of the lungs, prostate and breast. They are more effective when eaten raw as nutrients are lost when carrots are cooked.
4. Broccoli – a study conducted by the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute suggests that broccoli and other similar cruciferous vegetables can stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. And as a plus, this vegetable may also reverse the effects of cell damage caused by diabetes.
5. Sweet Potato – this vegetable contains beta carotene (also found in carrots) which can fight certain cancers. And since this is also rich in fiber, it promotes good bowel movement which may then reduce the risk of colon cancer.
6. Red Cabbage – this vegetable’s distinctive color comes from the component called flavonoids. These flavonoids are known to be good antioxidants. And because of this, it can help reduce the risk of developing cancers in your body.
7. Spinach – this vegetable that’s closely associated with the cartoon character Popeye provides real benefits to your health. Spinach is rich in beta carotene and vitamin C which are powerful antioxidants that help prevent cancer.
8. Red Beet – its color comes from flavonoids which is also found in red cabbage. Again, this component has good antioxidant properties which fight cancer.
9. Peppers – not only add spice to your food but also to your health. Peppers are rich in vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene, all of which are known to have strong antioxidant properties.
10. Onion – is one pungent preventive of cancer. It contains many compounds that blocks cancer-causing agent such as nitrosamines and aflatoxin.