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Add Cancer fighting produce to your plate

Spring is a time of renewal, and the perfect season for a change in your daily diet. After a cold season of eating hearty produce like potatoes, winter squash, and parsnips, it’s a welcome change to embrace the warmer temperatures, and eat refreshing produce full of bright color. While produce offers you the essential vitamins, and nutrients, you need on a daily basis, some produce has more cancer fighting properties than others. Add cancer fighting produce to your plate this Spring.

Add Cancer fighting produce to your plate this spring

Add Cancer Fighting Produce to Your Plate This Spring

Whether you want to fight against aggressive cancer cells after facing a delayed cancer diagnosis, or be more proactive in your preventative health, here’s some cancer fighting produce to consider bringing to the table this spring:

Peas

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), green peas (part of the legume family) are full of resistant starch, which is particularly effective in colorectal cancer. Spring peas also contain antioxidants, as well as anti-inflammatory proteins. The optimum time for this sweet tasting legume is during the months of March through May, but if you can’t get your hands on any that are fresh, no worries. Frozen peas in the pod will do, just shuck them right before you use them. While you can always enjoy a simple dish of steamed peas with a little mint, check out this easy and delicious cancer-fighting Spring Pea Soup recipe.

Cabbage

Both green, and red, cabbage contain powerful antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Packed with vitamins A and C and phytonutrients like sulforaphane, this cruciferous vegetable targets cancer stem cells, and has been shown to prevent cancer from spreading, or recurring. While many people have only had cooked cabbage, the best way to to receive the cancer fighting benefits is by eating cabbage raw. If you want to branch out from the traditional warmer weather recipe of coleslaw, give this recipe a try:

Cauliflower, Cabbage, & Carrot Salad

1 small cauliflower (cut into florets)

1 cup finely shredded red or green cabbage

2 medium carrots (grated)

1 small red onion (finely chopped)

¼ cup chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley

Toss together ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp. of white vinegar, 1 tsp. dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, and 1 Tbsp. of low-fat mayonnaise. Drizzle over vegetables and mix well.

Leeks

You’ve probably come across this vegetable at the supermarket, or at a Farmer’s Market, but didn’t know anything about it. Leeks contain some of the same cancer-fighting sulfides that garlic contains. Leeks are known for destroying cancer cells, particularly in colorectal cancer. They may also suppress the carcinogenic process, keeping cells healthy.

If you don’t know what to do with leeks, treat them like you would an onion. Substitute for onions in virtually any recipe.

Rhubarb

Not only is rhubarb a great source of vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber, but contains phytochemicals from the carotenoid family. According to AICR, foods that contain carotenoids are effective against cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and lung. The dietary fiber also helps against colorectal cancer. Although the majority of recipes containing rhubarb are sweet, there are ways to make them healthier, and less sugary.

About the Writer: Matt Rhoney is an avid reader on trending topics, and a writer in his spare time. He enjoys writing pieces on health, fitness, and wellness, but often writes about family, and safety. 

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By | 2023-07-11T12:44:38-04:00 April 26, 2016|Health & Nutrition|Comments Off on Add Cancer fighting produce to your plate