Top 10 Anti-Cancer Foods

Many common foods are known to have cancer fighting properties. Numerous medical sources list the ones they feel have the most protective benefit. The experts aren't in total agreement here, but there is a great deal of overlap amongst these lists. Here are the ten foods most doctors believe will protect you:

Seafood: Fish, shellfish and seaweed or kelp all contain every known mineral.

Flax: Contains two cancer fighters, omega 3 fatty acids and lignans. Omega 3s support immune function while lignans are phytoestrogens, similar to but weaker than the natural hormone. They are believed to bind to a woman's estrogen receptors and block excessive estrogen activity in the cells, reducing the risk of hormone driven cancers (breast and uterine). Lots of plants contain lignans; but flaxseed is, by far, the richest source.

Green Tea: Studies have shown that the catechins in green tea suppress the growth of cancer cells. It also contains the strongest known antioxidant, EGCC.

Cruciferous Vegetables: This group is comprised of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, kale and all their kin. All are rich in anti-cancer flavonoids, but the richest source in the lot is red cabbage. All of the aforementioned are also great sources of calcium which is believed to prevent the growth of precancerous polyps that can lead to colon cancer.

Spinach: Several studies have found that folk who eat spinach twice a week or more have lower lung and breast cancer rates.

Tomatoes: One of the richest sources of lycopene, a flavonoid proven to defend against cancers of the lung, cervix, mouth and prostate. The nutrient only becomes biologically available when the fruit is cooked, so raw tomatoes (though they provide other benefits) will not work.