How Do Foods Affect Cancer?

Before we look at how foods can affect cancer, let’s first consider the foods you eat and what they allow you to do:

Carbohydrates (breads, cereals, fruits) give you energy

Lipids (fats from animal products and plant oils) provide support and growth for cellular membranes

Protein (animal and plant products) support tissue growth and maintenance

Just as a food from each group is going to support different functions in your body, certain foods also allow cancer to perform differently. For example, a can of soda contains processed sugar and is considered to be a part of the carbohydrate group. However, it is a food with no vitamin or mineral content but contains a surplus of energy (calories) and will supply your cells with an abundant amount of energy. If the body does not use the calories, the cells will store them for later use. Foods such as these will allow cancer cells to grow by providing them with the energy they need to proliferate. There are even some foods that contain chemicals with the ability to initiate and support cancer growth. A glass of beer contains an abundant amount of empty calories (a huge energy supply lacking vitamins and minerals) and carcinogenic chemicals that create free radicals in the body and mutate normal cells. Let’s take a look at the process in further detail. In order for a malignant tumor to grow in the body three steps need to take place. Each step is a long, slow process that can be interrupted with proper prevention. One such way to prevent cancer is through the foods we eat because of certain constituents contained in them. So what foods help prevent cancer and how do foods fight this disease? The three steps involved in cancer and foods that fight each step are outlined below. Count how many foods you consume in one day and looking only at diet as a risk factor for cancer, find out your cancer risk at the end of the page.

Key Cancer Steps	Process	How Foods Interfere	Food Score
Step 1: Initiation	Free radicals are produced by oxygen processing in the body and can cause damage to a cell’s DNA Cancer-causing chemicals enter the body as procarcinogens and become active carcinogens when broken down in the liver by phase I enzymes	Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and stop the initiation of cancer, such as the polyphenols in green tea and the lycopene in tomatoes, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Beta Carotene. Garlic contains allyl sulfides which limit the production of phase I enzymes. Broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables are rich in sulforaphane to remove carcinogens from cells.	Tomatoes = 3 points Brocolli, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts = 2 points 1 cup green tea = 1 point
Step 2: Promotion	Cells undergo potentially cancerous changes when the first defenses fail and rapidly divide to support cancer growth.
Step 3: Progression