Two Key Steps on the Path to Better Health

The global burden of cancer continues to increase. There were an estimated 10.1 million new cases, 6.2 million deaths, and 22.4 million persons living with cancer in the year 2000 (Kleihues and Stewart 2003). This represents an increase of 19% in incidence and 18% in mortality since 1990. Given current trends in smoking prevalence and other factors, the annual number of new cases is estimated to reach 15 million by 2020. It is possible to prevent at least one-third of these new cases through better use of existing knowledge and diet.

Nutrition is the bridge between agriculture and health. The American diet—high in fat, saturated fat, and sodium, and low in calcium and fiber-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—is associated with increased risk for several chronic diseases. Diet is a significant factor in the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), certain types of cancer, and stroke—the three leading causes of death. In fact, poor diets and/or sedentary lifestyles are responsible for 14 percent of all deaths in the United States and at least 20 percent of deaths from CHD and stroke.

Diet also plays a major role in the development of diabetes and hypertension. At least 30 percent of diabetes could be prevented through diet and/or control of obesity. New research also suggests that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables can lower high blood pressure as effectively as some medications.

The chart shows that dietary factors are the leading cause of cancer, followed closely by tobacco.

Risk Factors	% of Deaths from Cancer
Diet	35
Tobacco	30
Infections	10
Sexual Behavior	7
Occupation	4
Execcive use of alcohol	3
Ultraviolet light and radiation from outer space	3
Cancer-causing toxins in the environment	2
Medicines and medical procedures	1
All other risk factors	5

TWO KEY STEPS IN CANCER PREVENTION

STEP 1: AVOID FOOD CARCINOGENS

NOTE: This chart is just an example and should not be considered as a complete list of health disorders caused by carcinogenic chemicals.

Food Products	Chemical	Health Damage	Notes
Cured or smoked meats (ham, hot dogs, bacon, and jerky); ground meat, including sausage and hamburgers.	Sodium nitrate and or sodium nitrites (preservatives)	Brain tumor, lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia	More about Fast Food Risks - Brain Tumor for $.99? - Nitrosamines, PHAs and Sulfites
Well-done, charbroiled or grilled meats	Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)	Stomach, colon and other types of cancer	Grilling and blackening of meats alters animal proteins and make them hard to digest. Some actions of gut bacteria on undigested proteins can cause intestinal and other types of tumors.
Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables of most concern: tomatoes, beef, potatoes, oranges, lettuce, apples, peaches, pork, wheat, soybeans, beans, carrots, chicken, corn, and grapes.	Pesticides: linuron, permethrin, chlordimeform, zineb, captafol, captan, maneb, mancozeb, folpet, chlorothalonil, metiram, benomyl, and O-phenylphenol. Fungicides, bactericides, coloring, bleaches, and chemical solvents in fruit and vegetable coatings.	congenital leukemia (humans), hormonal disruptions (promote proliferation of cells in brest cancer in humans), bladder cancer (occupational exposure), leukemia (humans), DNA damage (animal studies), Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (humans), gastrointestinal carcinomas and adenomas (animal studies)	Buy only organically grown fruits and vegetables. More about protection against pesticides

STEP 2: EAT A VARIETY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLE WITH MAXIUMUM PHYTOCHEMICALS

A vast number of non-nutrient substances found in fruits and vegetables are important in the battle against cancer. These include plant pigments such as carotenes, chlorophyll, flavonoids; dietary fiber, enzymes and vitamin-like compounds. Phytochemicals exert considerably greater protection against cancer than vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium.

Here is a selection of fruits, vegetables and plants with anticarcinogenic properties (preventing or suppressing the effects of carcinogens, including breast cancer carcinogens). The top 10 fruits and vegetables are listed in regression: the first in the list contains the largest amount of phytochemical.

Phytochemical	Top 10 Fruits & Vegetables
Cyanidin	Elderberries (758 mg), chokeberry, black raspberries, bilberry, common cowpeas, blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, red cabbage, blueberries (42 mg)
Delphinidin	Blackberry juice concentrate (201 mg), black currants, bilberry, common cowpeas, wild blueberries, blueberries, black currant juice, frozen blueberries, eggplant (raw), black beans (11 mg)
Pelargonidin	Strawberries (31 mg), radishes, kidney beans, raspberries, chokeberry, black currants, elderberries, sweet cherries, blackberries, cranberry juice cocktail (3 mg)
Petunidin	Blueberries, wild (58 mg), bilberry, common cowpeas, blueberries, blueberries (frozen), black beans, black currants, red grapes, wine (red), common beans (0.14 mg)
Malvidin	Blueberries (103 mg), bilberry, grapes (red), common cowpeas, wine (red), black beans, raspberries, vinegar (red wine), cranberries, common beans (0.1 mg)
Peonidin	Bilberry (51 mg), cranberries, blueberries, common cowpeas, plums, sweet cherries, grapes (red), onions (red), wine (red), black currants (0.66 mg)
Epicatechin 3-gallate	Candies, dark chocolate (60 mg), Candies, milk chocolate, with honey and almond nougat, Candies, milk chocolate, with pistachios, tea (green, brewed), tea (green, brewed, decaffeinated), tea (oolong, brewed), tea (black, brewed), grapes (black), plums, rhubarb (0.59 mg)
Epigallocatechin 3-gallate	Candies, milk chocolate, with honey and almond nougat (356 mg), candies, milk chocolate, with hazelnuts, candies, dark chocolate, candies, milk chocolate, with milk and coconut filling, carob flour, tea (green, brewed), tea (oolong, brewed), pecan nuts, apples (Fuji), nuts (hazelnuts or filberts, 1 mg)
Quercetin	Capers (233 mg), elderberry juice concentrate, dock, radish leaves, chokeberry juice concentrate, carob fiber (Caromax), dill weed, coriander (cilantro) leaves, peppers (hot, yellow wax), fennel leaves (48 mg)
Myricetin	Blackberry juice concentrate (20 mg), fennel leaves, carob kibbles, parsley, bog whortleberries, cranberries, carob flour, black currants, dock leaves, sweet potato leaves (4.8 mg)
Kaempferol	Capers (259 mg), arugula, common beans, kale, onions (welsh), cabbage (Chinese), radish seeds (sprouted), chives (Chinese), dill weed, garden cress (13 mg)
Naringenin	Kumquats (57 mg), grapefruit, tangelo juice, pummelo juice, rosemary (fresh) yuzu, sour orange juice, artichokes, (globe or french), tangerines (10 mg)
Hesperetin	Tangelo juice (74 mg), limes, yuzu, oranges, tangerine juice (frozen concentrate), tangor juice, lemon juice, peppermint (fresh), pummelo, grapefruit (3 mg)
Eriodictyol	Peppermint (fresh, 30 mg), lemons, sour orange juice, pummelo juice, lime juice, tangelo juice, tangor juice, grapefruit juice, almonds, tangerine juice (0.02 mg)
Thearubigins	Tea (black, brewed 81 mg), tea (brewed, decaffeinated), tea (instant, prepared), tea (black, ready-to-drink, plain and flavored), tea (instant, unsweetened, powder, prepared), tea (black, ready-to-drink, diet, plain and flavored), tea (green, brewed, decaffeinated), tea (green, brewed, flavored), tea (green, brewed), tea (green, ready-to-drink 0 mg)
Theaflavin	Tea (black, brewed 1.6 mg), tea (brewed, decaffeinated), tea (green, brewed, decaffeinated), tea (black, ready-to-drink, plain and flavored), tea (green, brewed), tea (green, brewed, flavored), tea (green, ready-to-drink), tea (black, ready-to-drink, diet, plain and flavored), tea (instant, decaffeinated, prepared), tea (instant, diet, prepared 0 mg)
Apigenin	Parsley (dried, 1356 mg), vinespinach, kumquats, celery hearts, peppermint (fresh), artichokes, rutabagas, marjoram (dried), oregano (fresh), thyme (fresh, 2,5 mg)
Luteolin	Thyme (fresh 45 mg), Queen Anne''s Lace, oregano, parsley (dried), sage (fresh), peppermint (fresh), peppers (pimento), peppers (hot, yellow wax), peppers (sweet, green), celery hearts (3.5 mg)

The majority of the research on diet and cancer suggests that eating fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans will lower your risk of developing cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends the following foods that fight cancer:

Beans Berries Cruciferous Vegetables Dark Green Leafy Vegetables Flaxseed Garlic

Grapes and Grape Juice Green Tea Soy Tomatoes Whole Grains

No single food or food substances can protect you against cancer, but the right combination of foods a predominantly plant-based diet can. Evidence is mounting that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in many plant foods interact to provide extra cancer protection. This concept is called synergy.

That is why scientists recommend that at least 2/3 of your plate should be filled with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans.

References [17], [39]-[41]