Thousands of scientific studies over the
past several decades show that certain fruits, vegetables, and other
healthy foods protect your body against cancer. But did you know you can
boost your defenses even more? Evidence is mounting that combining
specific foods can provide powerful protection through a process called
synergy, in which nutrients in foods, such as vitamins, minerals, and
phytochemicals, combine to work together better than they do
individually. "You can
put the principles of food synergy to work for you in your goal to
optimize your health and prevent cancer," board-certified family
practitioner Dr. David Brownstein tells Newsmax Health.
Take advantage of the cancer-fighting potential of the following combinations:
• Tomatoes and broccoli.
Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, vitamin C, and vitamin A, and
broccoli contains the phytochemicals beta-carotene, isothiocyanates, and
indoles, all of which are cancer-fighters by themselves, but pack a
powerful blow to prostate cancer
when combined. An animal study at the University of Illinois found that
the tomato/broccoli combination shrank prostate tumors more than either
food alone. The only treatment that was as effective as the food combo
was castration. "When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see
an additive effect," said UI food science and human nutrition professor
John Erdman. "We think it’s because different bioactive compounds in
each food work on different anti-cancer pathways. It’s better to eat
tomatoes than to take a lycopene supplement," he added. "And cooked
tomatoes may be better than raw tomatoes. Chopping and heating make the
cancer-fighting constituents of tomatoes and broccoli more
bioavailable."
• Tea and lemon.
Tea is high in antioxidant polyphenols, including catechins and
flavonoids. According to the USDA, a single cup of green tea has the
same amount of flavonoids as almost five glasses of red wine or nine
apples. Catechins, a particularly potent cancer-fighter, break down
quickly in the intestinal tract, and usually only about 20 percent is
available for absorption after digestion. However, scientists at Purdue
University found that adding lemon to green tea allowed 80 percent of
the catechins to remain after digestion.
Special: These Are the Deadliest Foods in America. Read This List.
• Kale and lemon.
Citrus fruits provide generous amounts of vitamin C, and dark, green
leafy vegetables are rich in iron. While up to 22 percent of iron from
animal foods is absorbed, only 1 to 8 percent of iron from plants is
absorbed by the body. Adding vitamin C, however, turns plant-based iron
into a form that closely resembles that from red meats. "The vitamin C
from both foods make the plant-based iron more absorbable," says Dr.
Brownstein.
• Beef and rosemary.
Grilling protein-rich foods like red meat forms heterocyclic amines
(HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogens that
cause changes in DNA linked to cancer. A study at the University of
Minnesota found that well-done meats, regardless of cooking style,
increased the risk of pancreatic cancer by 60 percent, as well as raised
the risk of prostate, breast, liver, lung, and breast cancers. Rosemary
contains the antioxidants rosmarinic acid, carnosol, and carnosic acid,
and a study found that marinating grilled foods in rosemary extract
lowered the amount of cancer-causing chemicals when grilled. A study
published in The Journal of Food Science found that high concentrations of rosemary reduced cancer-causing chemicals by more than 90 percent.
• Turmeric and black pepper.
Many studies show that turmeric, a staple in Indian dishes, has
anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties due to its active ingredient
curcumin. Curcumin has been shown to thwart stomach, liver, lung, and
breast cancer. Peperine, black pepper's spicy component may play a key
role in deterring cancer. A study at the University of Michigan Cancer
Center found that black pepper prevented breast cancer tumors. "Add
black pepper to any food that contains turmeric," says Dr. Brownstein.
"It increases the bioavailability of the curcumin." According to some
experts, combining turmeric with black pepper increases bioavailability
by 1000 to 2000 percent.
• Tomatoes and avocado. Tomatoes
are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that's a type of carotenoid.
One study found that eating more than 10 servings of lycopene a week
reduced the total risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent and the risk of
aggressive prostate cancer by 53 percent. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
found that women with the highest levels of lycopene had a 22 percent
reduced risk of breast cancer. "The fat from avocados increases the
bioavailability of the carotenoids in tomatoes," says Dr. Brownstein.
• Strawberries and oatmeal.
All whole grains contain antioxidants, but oatmeal has higher levels
than most other grains, and the phytochemicals it contains fight
inflammation, a condition that's been linked to cancer. Strawberries
have high amounts of ellagic acid, which studies have shown deactivate
specific carcinogens and help prevent cancers of the lung, breast,
bladder, esophagus, and skin.
Special: These Are the Deadliest Foods in America. Read This List.
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