Black American men and women have the highest rates of developing and dying from colorectal cancer than any other racial group in the United States. There’s strong evidence that a high-fiber, low-fat meal pattern may help promote a healthy digestive tract and potentially reduce the high incidence of colon cancer in black Americans.
The American Cancer Society’s nutrition guidelines for cancer prevention recommend a healthy eating pattern based on a variety of dark green, red, and orange vegetables; beans and peas; whole fruits with a variety of colors; and whole grains. These plant foods provide beneficial nutrients, including naturally occurring, cancer-fighting compounds called phytonutrients.
No one food can protect you against cancer by itself. However, research shows that the following six foods can help reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Apples provide fiber, vitamin C, and phytonutrients. To get the most benefit, you should eat the whole apple because the peel contains most of the cancer-fighting phytonutrients.
When buying fresh apples, look for firm, shiny, smooth-skinned apples with the stems intact. At home, refrigerate apples in a plastic bag away from foods with strong odors. Fresh apples are best when used within three weeks.
Asparagus is a good source of vitamin C that is low fat and low calorie.
When selecting fresh asparagus, look for odorless asparagus stalks with dry, tight tips.
Store fresh asparagus in the refrigerator for up to four days. Wrap the ends of the stalks in a wet paper towel and place in a plastic bag. To preserve the nutrients and phytocompounds in asparagus, you can steam, grill, or stir-fry them.
Broccoli is the most commonly consumed cruciferous vegetable in the U.S. Other cruciferous vegetables include Arugula, Bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radish, and turnips.
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