According to several studies carried out, it is estimated that around 30% of human cancers are due to poor eating habits, while 60% of all cancers could be reduced or minimized by consuming certain foods that contain anti-cancer substances, mainly antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that retard or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation reactions, inherent to the functioning of all organisms, produce free radicals that eventually damage cell structures. The effects of this damage can be multiple, but some of them can lead to cancer.
Let's see which foods contain the most antioxidants and why we should consume them *:
* take this list as merely informative. This is not a therapy or a cure, but information on the latest discoveries in natural anticancer drugs.
1. Dark green leafy vegetables: spinach, kale, Swiss chard...
These vegetables contain lutein, a beneficial antioxidant in the fight against cancer, and kale also has indole-3-carbinol, an inhibitor of cancer cell growth.
2. Vegetables and fruits of red or orange color (tomatoes, purple grapes, apricots, etc.)
They contain lycopene, a pigment that gives the tomato its characteristic color as well as being a powerful antioxidant, protecting our cells from oxidative stress. It is effective in reducing the risk of lung, prostate and digestive cancer. Eating tomatoes in a salad, in gazpacho or as a sauce for pasta is the best and easiest way to consume a large amount of lycopene.
3. From the cauliflower family:
Cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts... contain powerful antioxidants and broccoli has diindolylmethane, which is beneficial in the fight not only against cancer, but also against infections caused by viruses or bacteria as it strengthens the immune response.
4. Red wine:
Without this serving to acquire "alcoholic" customs, the wine contains resveratrol, a product that the grape generates to defend itself against fungal attacks. In 2006, work began with this antioxidant - although it is not strictly such - and it was observed that it extended the life of various types of invertebrates. Although at first it was considered a "life extender", it is now known that it has practically no effect on healthy higher vertebrates. Resveratrol is also found in walnuts and peanuts, so there are versions of it for all audiences. A correct dose of resveratrol is considered to be one glass of wine per day for women and two for men, which can also be supplemented by must of black grapes.
5. Green tea:
Green tea contains polyphenols, compounds that ferment in our digestive system and have a beneficial influence on the circulatory system and cancer.
6. Nuts:
If you have noticed in the previous sections walnuts often appear. Well, it is one of the healthiest and most beneficial nuts for our body. Nutritionists say that eating a handful of nuts after a heavy meal practically erases from our body the bad consequences that the first one would have left in it. It is also healthy to eat almonds, hazelnuts or pistachios because they contain vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant (also present in extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil, among others) with direct effects on cancer cells.
7. Garlic:
Garlic can be said to be a "broad spectrum" remedy. It has been shown to have positive effects in treating certain types of cancer, as well as fighting certain infections and lowering blood pressure. When garlic cloves are crushed or crushed, allicin is formed, a kind of natural antibiotic that unfortunately is lost when it is cooked.
8. Citrus:
Due to its high content of vitamin C - a powerful antioxidant - we should include tangerines, oranges and lemons in our diet. But not only citrus fruits contain large amounts of vitamin C. Strawberries, parsley or green peppers beat them by many bodies. Even potatoes, cooked whole, are an excellent source of vitamin C.
9. Should I buy antioxidants at herbalists or pharmacies or start buying products such as juices with antioxidants incorporated?
No way. First of all, there are few studies indicating the effects of taking antioxidants in large amounts. To my knowledge there is a pretty serious one that indicated that taking resveratrol in large amounts had detrimental effects on the kidney. You have to eat healthy and that is enough to take the necessary antioxidants. Products to which antioxidants have been added are usually innocuous except for their price, being useless as substitutes for natural antioxidants (remember that to ingest the omega-3 that a simple sardine contains, we should drink 6 liters of milk enriched with this element. ..which they also extract from a simple sardine).