Posted Dec 12, 2010
Many of us have heard that healthy nutrition plays an important role in preventing a number of types of cancer, and may help to reduce the spread of cancer once it has started.
Populations that consume less animal food and more plant food have a lower risk of cancer. In fact, the risk of cancer in vegetarians is about 50 percent lower than among people who eat meat on a regular basis.
A diet high in animal foods, especially meat and dairy products, may fuel cancer in a number of ways. The fat in animal foods can increase hormone levels in the blood, and the pesticides and hormones found in some of these foods may also fuel cancer growth. Animal foods are also devoid of fiber, and low-fiber diets are associated with a higher risk of cancer.
So it makes sense that eating less animal food might lead to less cancer.
But what about plants themselves – might they contain preventive ingredients? Plant foods are high in antioxidants, and antioxidants can protect DNA from damage that can lead to malignant transformation.
However, some intriguing newer research suggests plants may protect us from cancer in a far more novel way