How healthy Eating prevents cancer ?

** Experts think that 1 in 10 cancer cases could be prevented through healthy diets. And we know that a balanced diet can also help to maintain a healthy body weight, which can itself reduce the risk of many cancers.

** The link between diet and cancer is complex and difficult to unravel. This is because our diet is made up of lots of different foods and nutrients. Many of these could affect our risk of cancer.

** Some foods, such as red and processed meats and salt, increase the risk of developing cancer. While others, such as fruits, vegetables and high fibre foods, can help prevent the disease...

How do fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of cancer?

** Research suggests nearly 1 in 20 may be linked to diets low in fruit and vegetables. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables has been linked to a lower risk of cancer of the mouth, oesophagus (food pipe), lung, larynx (voice box) and some types of stomach cancer.

** Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet and are an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre.

** Fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of nutrients that have many different effects on the body. These nutrients include carotenoids, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, flavonoids and various other phytochemicals (chemicals found in plants). Some of these may be linked to reduced cancer risk by doing things like: ~ Mopping up harmful chemicals that could potentially damage DNA. ~ Helping protect against DNA damage. ~ Helping with repairing DNA. ~ Blocking the formation of cancer-causing chemicals...