15 ANTICANCER FRUITS GOOD FOR HEALTH - NUTRITION - 2024

Some of the anticancer fruits that you can take and that will provide other health benefits are pineapples, apples, grapes, bananas, citrus fruits, berries, kiwis, pitaya, magostan, avocado and others that I will mention below.

Are you worried about your health and about the possibility of contracting cancer? Taking into account the high percentage of the population that suffers from it, it is normal. However, many types of cancer are more likely to develop through poor lifestyles, including poor nutrition.

Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases, and despite a good understanding of the molecular basis of the disease and advances in treatment, cancer worldwide remains a major cause of death.

It has been estimated that 30 to 40 percent of all cancers are preventable through lifestyle. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of many common forms of cancer.

What compounds in fruits reduce the risk of cancer?

Research suggests that ingesting bioactive compounds from fruits and vegetables, such as polyphenols and terpenes, can help reduce the incidence of cancer in humans.

In addition, combining natural compounds with chemotherapeutic agents has been reported to be a promising strategy for enhancing inhibition of tumor survival.

Fruits are a food group with excellent benefits for our body thanks to its content of compounds such as vitamin C, phenols, fiber, folic acid and antioxidants.

It is a firmly established fact; A great deal of evidence shows the anticancer properties of certain compounds in fruits. Specifically, fruits such as pineapple, apples, avocados, citrus fruits, bananas, grapes, and tomatoes have been found to be very effective in treating and destroying cancer cells.

List of anticancer fruits

1- Pineapples

Pineapple (Ananas comosus). Source: David Monniaux

The bromelain enzyme found in pineapple has been recognized for its great antitumor effect since it has the property of destroying the coating that protects the tumor. It is found in the stem and pulp of the pineapple.

It can also promote DNA repair and normal cell growth. Therefore, in addition to its cancer-fighting properties, it makes normal cells develop healthy and stronger. This is very important as conventional cancer treatments are often very aggressive even against healthy cells.

In this article you can learn about other benefits of pineapples.

2 apples

Procyanidins are compounds with biological activity found in these fruits that can induce the natural death of malignant cells. Triterpenoids are phytochemical compounds that are concentrated in the peel of apples and have a great ability to stop the reproduction of cancer cells, especially in people diagnosed with liver, colon and breast cancer.

It is highly recommended to eat the skin of the apples after they have been thoroughly washed.

3- grapes

Clinical research on cancer treatment and prevention has also shown that grape seed extract can destroy a large part of leukemia cells through a process involving a specific protein, promoting death natural in cancer cells.

The antioxidant resveratrol, found in grape seeds, can also influence the natural death of cancer cells in the lungs, intestines, skin, breast, stomach, and prostate.

Grape seed extract and resveratrol have, in fact, been incorporated into many health supplements due to their therapeutic properties.

4- Bananas

Some compounds in bananas have been found to be effective in preventing the additional production of liver cancer and leukemia cells. Increased consumption of bananas is associated with a lower risk of developing bowel cancer, brain cancer, leukemia, esophageal cancer, or oral cancer.

They are also rich in potassium, which is good for the muscles and the heart. In this article you can learn about other benefits of pineapples.

5- Citrus

Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C. They also provide a significant amount of folic acid, dietary fiber, potassium, and beta-carotene. Citrus fruits are the most beneficial for preventing and treating stomach cancer, mouth cancer, laryngeal cancer, and pharyngeal cancer.

Studies have shown that citrus fruits are very beneficial in treating cardiovascular conditions, chronic inflammatory processes such as arthritis and in case of gallstones (stones).

There is scientific evidence that shows that lemon has cancer-fighting properties. Since lemon contains vitamin C, and this is an anticancer agent, lemon extract only affects malignant cells and leaves healthy cells unharmed.

6- Berries

Sweet berries are powerful anticancer compounds. According to research done in mice, black raspberries were shown to reduce oral cancer, esophageal cancer, and colon cancer.

Berries inhibit any type of cancer process from being initiated or spreading through the blood and tissues. The berries contain a compound called ellagic acid that inhibits the development of tumors.

Blueberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants, as they are rich in phytochemicals, substances that fight cancer. They are also rich in powerful antioxidants (anthocyanosides) and resveratrol.

Strawberries are also a high source of antioxidants, folate, and vitamin C. They have been shown to lower the risk of esophageal cancer. One cup of strawberries provides 100% of the daily recommendation for vitamin C.

7- Kiwi

Kiwifruit is well known for its high content of vitamin C, which prevents free radical damage. It is also a powerful antioxidant.

Kiwifruit is made up of flavonoids and carotenoids that protect DNA from damage or oxidative stress that causes cancer. Being full of vitamins, it is a strong immune booster. This shows its effectiveness in curing different types of cancer such as liver cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer.

Kiwi extracts inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. In addition to this, the compound called catechin found in this fruit is an excellent anticancer.

8- Soursop

The tree is called Graviola in Brazil. Soursop is a prickly green fruit that has the ability to destroy cancer 10,000 times more than chemotherapy drugs without damaging side effects on healthy cells.

The sap of this tree has the ability to selectively destroy cancer cells in different types of cancer, among which are intestinal, lung, prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer.

9- Pitaya

This fruit belongs to the cactus species. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America, but has been grown on plantations in Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and for many other Asian countries.

The fruit has red or yellow skin with red or yellow pulp depending on the variety. The fruit contains small black crunchy seeds that are eaten raw, along with the pulp.

Pitaya is rich in antioxidant phytoalbumin that help prevent the formation of carcinogenic free radicals in the body. It is also rich in fiber, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins C and B2, it is an excellent aid to excrete metal toxins from the body.

10- Mangosteen

This fruit, which is also known as Garcinia mangostana, originated in the Sundra and Moluccan Islands of Indonesia, but has grown very popularly in neighboring countries.

It belongs to a lesser known genus of plants. Its epicarp is smooth but thick, and its endocarp, botanically known as aril, is white and edible. The fragrant edible pulp can be described as sweet and tangy.

Mangosteen helps in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Research carried out in this regard has concluded that it is capable of killing cancer cells.

This fruit has innumerable health benefits since it is antiulcer, anti-aging, antiviral, antibiotic, antifungal, anti-depressant, anti-obesity, anti-allergenic, anti-cataract, and much more.

11- Avocado

The avocado is a fruit of a tree native to central Mexico. Botanically, it is a large berry that contains only one seed. The fruit can be pear-shaped, or spherical in the shape of an egg.

Avocados contain lutein, an anti-cancer carotenoid. Lutein has the ability to reduce the chance of developing cancer, especially prostate cancer in men.

It is also a compound with a great protective capacity for sight and prevents the development of certain diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. On the other hand, avocado is rich in glutathione, the highest antioxidant that exists and that can significantly reduce the incidence of oral and pharyngeal cancer. Avocados are also rich in potassium, vitamins, and heart-healthy fats.

12- Noni

It is a fruit known by many other names according to the country. The noni plant grows throughout the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and Australasia.

According to recent studies, noni has properties that may be beneficial in preventing cancer. The extract of the tropical plant has some useful anti-cancer properties for the immune system. On the other hand, this fruit is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, B vitamins, calcium, iron and potassium.

In this article you can learn about its anti-cancer properties.

13- acai berry

Acai oil and berries. Source: PS Sena

The acai berry is the fruit of the acai palm, a species of palm native to Central and South America. It is small and is about 1 inch in circumference. It is black-purple in color and similar in appearance to grapes. It is basically used as a food or drink.

Laboratory studies have shown that acai berries can kill cancer cells. The content of the berries has the ability to cause the death of leukemia cells.

Other beneficial substances in acai are its antioxidants (found in a double concentration compared to blueberries), omega fatty acids, proteins, vitamins A and C, iron and fiber.

14- Goji Berries

Goji berries belong to a family of plants that include tomato, eggplant, pepper, and tobacco. Its fruit is bright orange in color, with an ellipsoid shape 1-2 cm deep. Most of the commercially produced Goji berries come from China and its surrounding regions.

Research has shown that these fruits, thanks to their content of selenium, a trace element that acts as an antioxidant, are capable of preventing the formation of free radicals that damage cells and increase the probability of contracting cancer.

Goji berries also provide plant compounds and nutrients such as amino acids, carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, polysaccharides, antioxidants, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and riboflavin.

15- Granada

It is a fruit, more precisely a berry of about 5-12 cm in diameter. It has a rounded hexagonal shape and thick reddish skin. Originally from Iran, the pomegranate has spread to areas of Asia, such as the Caucasus and the Himalayas in northern India.

Studies have reported that it contains phytochemicals that can suppress aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgens to estrogens and is associated with breast cancer. Furthermore, clinical trials have shown that pomegranate extracts can prevent prostate cancer in men.

Dietitians recommend eating fresh fruits to get a higher amount of anticancer compounds. The recommended cancer-fighting foods should be present in two-thirds of the meal, that is, it should contain fruits and vegetables in that proportion, and one-third of the plate should provide other types of food such as meat or pasta.

With a regular consumption of fruits, a person can significantly reduce the risk of getting cancer.