Posted October 12, 2010
OLIVE OIL
A DIET rich in olive oil is related to a reduced risk of cancer, specifically breast cancer, according to Italian, Spanish and Greek research — although of course olive oil, like all fat, is calorific so don’t overdo it!
Extra virgin olive oil, which is the least-processed, confers the greatest health benefits. It’s rich in disease-fighting antioxidants, contains more vitamin E and has a higher proportion of monounsaturated fat than any other oil. This is crucial because monounsaturated fat does not oxidise in the body — a process of decay which causes damage to cells, and uncontrolled oxidation increases cancer risk. Polyunsaturated fat (corn and sunflower oils), on the other hand, does oxidize.
Olive oil also contains the compounds oleocanthal, which can decrease inflammation; squalene, a proven tumourinhibitor; and lignans, which have been shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.
It makes insulin work more efficiently so you don’t have to produce so much — beneficial as higher-than-normal blood levels are related to breast cancer risk.
Another big plus of a diet rich in olive oil is that it helps to slow digestion, reducing hunger between meals.
WHOLEGRAINS
WHOLEGRAINS contain fiber, which helps you manage your weight and lowers blood estrogen levels, reducing the risk of breast cancer.
VEGETABLES
VEGETABLES are packed with so many cancer-fighting nutrients that you should include as varied a mix as possible in your diet. Maximise their nutritional value by buying as fresh as possible. You absorb more of the nutrients if you eat them with fat, in the form of nuts or drizzled with olive oil. The best absorption is obtained if they are cooked in olive oil.
Vegetables with deeper colour contain more carotenoids, which numerous studies have shown are linked to lower breast cancer risk. Broccoli, carrots, peppers, spinach, beetroot, tomatoes and pumpkin are particularly rich in carotenoids.
Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, are rich in folate — a B vitamin that is needed for healthy cells. A low intake is linked to cancer. Cucumber, okra, spinach, sweet potato, processed tomatoes, green peppers, radishes, courgettes and broccoli all contain salicylic acid, anti-inflammatory thought to lower breast cancer risk.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is linked in many studies to reduced cancer risk. Our bodies absorb lycopene best when the tomatoes are cooked, concentrated, or processed, as in tinned tomatoes, sauces and paste.
Cruciferous vegetables — cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli — contain nutrients called glucosinolates, which have been shown to activate enzymes that halt the making of carcinogens, and effectively convert oestrogen into weaker, less dangerous forms.
FRUIT
The deeper the colour of the fruit, the more abundant the carotenoids — and the better it is for you. Choose red grapes, berries, apricots, peaches and raisins over pears, bananas and apples.
Apricots, berries, and citrus fruits are also rich in antioxidants. Adding nuts to the blueberries on your morning cereal and eating a piece of fruit with a meal that contains healthy fat will help your body effectively absorb the nutrients from fruit.