How Plant-Based Eating Can Reduce Your Cancer Risk — and Easy Ways to Start

My path to plant-based nutrition began when I first learned of my BRCA1 genetic mutation, and how it carried an 87 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer and a 50 to 60 percent risk of ovarian cancer for me. I started eating a plant-based diet with the goal to reduce my risk, but it has since become a cornerstone of my health and a powerful narrative I wish to share — especially because I didn't learn anything about it in medical school or from my own medical team.

February was Cancer Prevention Month, or as I like to call it, Cancer Risk Reduction Month. I call it that because it's important to know that nothing we do can prevent cancer 100 percent, but we can focus on what is in our control to reduce our risk. Now, as March — which is National Nutrition Month — rolls in, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about plant-based nutrition for cancer risk reduction.

We are living in a time where "plant-based" and "vegan" are buzzwords. It's important to know that it's not just a fad but a scientifically backed dietary pattern that can significantly reduce cancer risk and improve quality of life for those living with cancer. Let’s dive into what “plant-based” means and the benefits of a plant-based diet in cancer risk reduction.

What Is a Plant-Based Diet?

First things first: Not all plant-based diets are created equal. In the most basic terms, a predominantly whole-food, plant-based dietary pattern is one that focuses on consuming mostly whole, unprocessed plants such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It also includes minimizing or eliminating animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs.

An important distinction is that while a vegan diet can be healthy, it’s not necessarily the same as a whole-food, plant-based diet. A vegan diet can be made up of mostly faux meats and other highly processed foods (such as Oreos and French fries), which can actually increase risk for chronic diseases, similar to the highly processed standard American diet. This is why it's important to focus on consuming whole, unprocessed plant foods in order to reap the health benefits.

Note: You don't have to go completely plant-based to enjoy the health benefits plant foods offer. Even adding a few more plant-based meals each week can improve your health in ways you may not expect.

More Phytonutrients and Fiber Lead to Lower Cancer Risk

It's not just about what you're cutting out, but what you're adding in. The abundance of nutrient-dense compounds in plants, including phytonutrients and fiber, play a key role in reducing cancer risk. Here’s how.

How Phytonutrients Prevent Cell Damage

Environmental and lifestyle factors such as pollution, smoking, stress, and just the process of being alive lead to the production of something called oxidative stress, which can damage your cells, proteins, and DNA over time. Free radicals are the unstable molecules in your body that trigger oxidative stress, which can then lead to chronic diseases such as cancer.

Phytonutrients, also known as phytochemicals, are natural compounds found in plants that have a variety of functions. They serve as antioxidants, combat inflammation, and even play a role in boosting our immune system. Antioxidants live up to their name by neutralizing these harmful free radicals that cause oxidation in molecules, preventing cell damage.

Phytonutrients are also responsible for giving fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors, which is why you often hear the phrase "Eat the rainbow." Plant foods contain many antioxidants, while animal products don't have any.

Here are examples of foods with different types of phytochemicals and antioxidants:

• Red, orange, and yellow foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins have carotenoids, including beta-carotene.
• Green foods like leafy greens and broccoli contain chlorophyll and isothiocyanates.
• Purple and blue foods like red grapes and berries have anthocyanins and resveratrol.

How Fiber Lowers Cancer Risk

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that the body cannot digest. A plant-based diet is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which provide many health benefits for cancer risk reduction and heart and gut health. Increased fiber intake has been linked to a decreased risk of many cancers, including gastric, colorectal, breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.

Fiber can lower cancer risk in a variety of ways, such as:

• Helping to maintain a healthy weight
• Fostering beneficial gut bacteria that produce cancer-fighting compounds
• Ensuring bowel regularity
• Regulating blood sugar and insulin levels to reduce chronic inflammation
• Controlling the reabsorption of excess hormones like estrogen

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends eating at least 30 grams (g) of fiber daily from whole, plant-based foods. Currently, the average American eats about 15 g of fiber per day. Remember, animal foods don’t contain any fiber.