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#WorldCancerDay
World cancer day is an international time of recognition put in place by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), where the focus is on raising awareness with regard to the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer.
The team at QualityFood would like to do our part by educating you all on the best all-natural, cancer-fighting foods available at the touch of a button on the QualityFood mobile app.
So, to start off, what is cancer?
Cancer is referred to as the growth of abnormal cells that proliferate uncontrollably and destroy the body's tissue.
Cancer-Fighting Foods
While no foods can completely eradicate the possibility of someone developing cancer, there are cancer-fighting foods that are suggested to lower the risk of an individual developing the disease.
What are Cancer-Fighting Foods?
Cancer-fighting foods refer to foods such as nuts, beans, whole grains, healthy fats, and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
What are Healthy Fats?
Healthy fats refer to omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and are an essential component of a healthy diet. They aid in the development and functionality of hormones, memory, and the absorption of certain nutrients.
While healthy fatty acids are a necessity, there are other forms of fatty acids that are extremely unhealthy and categorized as carcinogens (any substance, radiation, or radionuclide that promotes the formation of cancer). These unhealthy fatty acids include:
Although trans fats can occur naturally in some dairy and meat products, most trans fats are created through an industrial process that combines hydrogen and vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated oil), allowing oil to reach a solid state at room temperature. Partially hydrogenated oil exists because products that contain it have a longer shelf life in comparison to all-natural oils.
Trans fats are harmful because they increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and certain cancers due to the way they increase your low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) and decrease your high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol).
Saturated fats naturally occur in many animal and dairy products, such as lamb, poultry with skin, fatty beef, butter, cheese, and cream. Saturated fats are, for the most part, harmless if consumed in moderation, but begin to pose negative health risks if you exceed your recommended allowance. Negative health risks that can develop from the overconsumption of saturated fats include high blood pressure, the raising of LDL (bad) cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke.
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants refer to substances that have been shown to prevent or slow down cell damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that originate from the body's reaction to environmental and other external/internal stresses). If the body is unable to process, or rid itself of free radicals efficiently, oxidative stress can occur, which harms cells and negatively affects body function. Antioxidants are suggested to help neutralize free radicals in our body and promote overall health.
Best Cancer-Fighting Food
Acai berries are a fruit native to Central and South America and are primarily consumed due to their high nutritional value and many health benefits. Its nutritional value consists of many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, D, and E, and iron, zinc, copper, chromium, and manganese. Its superfood status derives from its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
There have been various studies relating to acai berries' cancer-fighting abilities, and according to Cancer Therapy Advisor, there's evidence that suggests the superfood lowered rates of tumor cell proliferation, expression, and DNA damage in test subjects afflicted with bladder, breast, colon, and melanoma cancer.
For those in search of the freshest acai berries in the region, download the QualityFood app today!
