An anti-cancer diet is an important strategy you can use to reduce your risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society advises following the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which is to consume at least 2½ to 3 cups of vegetables and 1½ to 2 cups of fruit each day (roughly five servings total) to reduce risk of cancer.
An observational study that followed 100,000 people over 30 years supports the recommendation, finding that doing so reduces the risk of dying from cancer, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory disease. In addition, researchers are finding that certain foods that prevent cancer may be an important part of an anti-cancer diet.
Although selecting cancer-fighting foods at the grocery store and at mealtime can’t guarantee cancer prevention, good choices may help reduce your risk. Consider these anti-cancer diet guidelines:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and nutrients that are thought to reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Eating more plant-based foods also gives you little room for foods high in sugar. Instead of filling up on processed or sugary foods, eat fruits and vegetables for snacks. The Mediterranean diet offers foods that fight cancer, focusing mostly on plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. People who follow the Mediterranean diet choose cancer-fighting foods like olive oil over butter and fish instead of red meat.
- Sip green tea throughout your day. Green tea is a powerful antioxidant and may be an important part of an anti-cancer diet. Green tea, a cancer-fighting food, may be helpful in preventing liver, breast, pancreatic, lung, esophageal, and skin cancer. Researchers report that a nontoxic chemical found in green tea, epigallocatechin-3 gallate, acts against urokinase (an enzyme crucial for cancer growth). One cup of green tea contains between 100 and 200 milligrams (mg) of this anti-tumor ingredient.
- Eat more tomatoes. Research confirms that the antioxidant lycopene, which is in tomatoes, may be more powerful than beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and vitamin E. Lycopene is a cancer-fighting food associated with protection against certain cancers such as prostate and lung cancer. Be sure to cook the tomatoes, as this method releases the lycopene and makes it available to your body.
- Use olive oil. In Mediterranean countries, this monounsaturated fat is widely used for both cooking and salad oil and may be a cancer-fighting food. Breast cancer rates are 50 percent lower in Mediterranean countries than in the United States.
- Snack on grapes. Red grapes have seeds filled with the superantioxidant activin. This cancer-fighting chemical, also found in red wine and red-grape juice, may offer significant protection against certain types of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic degenerative diseases.
- Use garlic and onions abundantly. Research has found that garlic and onions can block the formation of nitrosamines, powerful carcinogens that target several sites in the body, usually the colon, liver, and breasts. Indeed, the more pungent the garlic or onion, the more abundant the chemically active sulfur compounds that prevent cancer.
- Eat fish. Fatty fish — such as salmon, tuna, and herring — contain omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fatty acid that has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. If you don’t currently eat fish, you might consider adding it to your anti-cancer diet. Another way to add omega-3s to your diet is by eating flaxseed.
Be proactive, and make more room in your diet for the following foods that prevent cancer.
Add Garlic to Your Anti-Cancer Diet
Research shows that garlic is a cancer-fighting food. Several large studies have found that those who eat more garlic are less likely to develop various kinds of cancer, especially in digestive organs such as the esophagus, stomach, and colon. Ingredients in the pungent bulbs may keep cancer-causing substances in your body from working, or they may keep cancer cells from multiplying. Experts don’t know how much you need to eat to prevent cancer, but a clove a day may be helpful.
Berries Are Foods That Fight Cancer
As a tasty treat and cancer-fighting food, berries are hard to beat. Berries contain particularly powerful antioxidants, meaning they can halt a naturally occurring process in the body that creates free radicals that can damage your cells. Compounds in berries may also help keep cancers from growing or spreading. So, as part of your anti-cancer diet, pick up a handful of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or whichever are your favorite from this large family of healing fruits.
Tomatoes May Protect Men From Prostate Cancer
Some research has found that tomatoes may help protect men from prostate cancer. The juicy red fruit can help guard the DNA in your cells from damage that can lead to cancer. Tomatoes contain a particularly high concentration of an effective antioxidant called lycopene. Your body may absorb lycopene better from processed tomato foods such as sauce, which means that whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce could be a delicious way to get your dose of cancer-fighting foods.
Add Cruciferous Vegetables to Your Anti-Cancer Diet
Cruciferous vegetables — the group containing broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower — may be particularly helpful cancer-fighting foods. Researchers have found that components in these veggies can protect you from the free radicals that damage your cells’ DNA. They may also shield you from cancer-causing chemicals, help slow the growth of tumors, and encourage cancer cells to die. They’re a tasty and healthy addition to your anti-cancer diet.
Drink Green Tea to Prevent Cancer
The leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) contain antioxidants called catechins, which may help prevent cancer in a variety of ways, including keeping free radicals from damaging cells. Lab studies have found that catechins in tea can shrink tumors and reduce tumor cell growth. Some — but not all — studies in humans have also linked drinking tea to a lower risk of cancer. Both green and black teas contain catechins, but you’ll get more antioxidants from green tea, so you may want to consider a cup or more per day in your anti-cancer diet.
Whole Grains Are in the Front Lines Among Foods Fight Cancer
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, whole grains contain many components that might lower your risk of cancer, including fiber and antioxidants. A large study including nearly half a million people found that eating more whole grains may lower the risk of colorectal cancer, making them a top item in the category of foods to fight cancer. Oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread and pasta are all examples of whole grains.
Turmeric May Reduce Cancer Risk
This orange-colored spice, a staple in Indian curries, contains an ingredient called curcumin (not the same as cumin) that may be useful in reducing cancer risk. According to the National Cancer Institute, curcumin can inhibit some kinds of cancer cells in laboratory studies and slow the spread of cancer or shrink tumors in some animals. This cancer-fighting food is easy to find in grocery stores, and you can use it in a variety of recipes on your anti-cancer diet.
Add Leafy Green Vegetables to Your Anti-Cancer Diet
Leafy green vegetables like spinach and lettuce are good sources of the antioxidants beta-carotene and lutein. You’ll also find these nutrients in vegetables that are more traditionally eaten cooked, like collard greens, mustard greens, and kale. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, some lab studies have found that chemicals in these cancer-fighting foods may limit the growth of some kinds of cancer cells.
Grapes Prevent Cancer From Beginning or Spreading
The skin of red grapes is a particularly rich source of an antioxidant called resveratrol. Grape juice and red wine also contain this antioxidant. Research suggests that resveratrol may be useful in keeping cancer from beginning or spreading. Lab studies have found that it limits the growth of many kinds of cancer cells.
Cancer-Fighting Beans May Reduce Your Cancer Risk
Certain fruits and vegetables and other plant foods get plenty of recognition for being good sources of antioxidants, but beans often are unfairly left out of the picture. Some beans, particularly pinto and red kidney beans, are outstanding sources of antioxidants and should be included in your anti-cancer diet. Beans also contain fiber, which may also help reduce your risk of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
- American Cancer Society Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity. American Cancer Society. June 9, 2020.
- Study Supports “5-a-Day” Recommendations for Fruits and Vegetables. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. March 8, 2021.
- 4 Reasons Eating Garlic Is Good for Cancer Prevention. American Institute for Cancer Research. November 3, 2016.
- Your Guide to Healthy Whole Grains. American Institute for Cancer Research. March 1, 2018.
- Hullings AG, et al. Whole Grain and Dietary Fiber Intake and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study Cohort. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. September 2020.
- Curcumin (Curcuma, Turmeric) and Cancer (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version. National Cancer Institute. September 1, 2023.
- AICR’s Foods That Fight Cancer and Foods to Steer Clear Of, Explained. American Institute for Cancer Research.
- Ko JH, et al. The Role of Resveratrol in Cancer Therapy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. December 2017.
Walter Tsang, MD
Medical Reviewer
Outside of his busy clinical practice, Tsang has taught various courses at UCLA Center for East West Medicine, Loma Linda University, and California University of Science and Medicine. He is passionate about health education and started an online seminar program to teach cancer survivors about nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep health, and complementary healing methods. Over the years, he has given many presentations on integrative oncology and lifestyle medicine at community events. In addition, he was the founding co-chair of a lifestyle medicine cancer interest group, which promoted integrative medicine education and collaborations among oncology professionals.
Tsang is an active member of American Society of Clinical Oncology, Society for Integrative Oncology, and American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He currently practices at several locations in Southern California. His goal is to transform cancer care in the community, making it more integrative, person-centered, cost-effective and sustainable for the future.
Eric Metcalf, MPH
Author
Eric Metcalf, MPH, is an Indianapolis-based medical writer, editor, and health educator. He is passionate about helping a national audience make healthier choices in their lives.
Metcalf has written and contributed to dozens of books on health and fitness, including Almost Addicted (with Harvard psychiatrist J. Wesley Boyd), Almost Anxious (with Harvard psychologist Luana Marques), and The New Prescription (with Cynthia Haines, MD). He has written for leading magazines and websites, as well as custom publications and public radio (Sound Medicine). He also developed a series of worksite wellness publications.
Metcalf has a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master's degree in public health. You can find him performing improv comedy in his spare time.