"What foods prevent cancer?" This question is frequently asked. Recently, blog posts promoting various "anti-cancer foods" have circulated widely online, claiming that regularly eating tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, onions, and other foods can prevent cancer. In response, Li Jun, Chief Physician and Director of General Surgery at Dezhou Second People's Hospital, stated that while so-called "anti-cancer foods" may boost immunity, specific single foods are not recommended.Cancer prevention should focus on "what not to eat," not "what to eat." A healthy and balanced diet is the key to cancer prevention.
Many "anti-cancer foods," but no specific recommendations
"Apples, corn, sour plums, shiitake mushrooms, onions, beef, hairtail fish, seaweed, soybeans, tea leaves."Recently, a blog post titled "Top Ten Healthy Anti-Cancer Foods" has been widely circulated online. Additionally, another list purportedly from the "American Association for Cancer Research's latest findings"—featuring tomatoes, spinach, strawberries, broccoli, and other "anti-cancer foods"—has been shared extensively by netizens.
Reporters noted that these so-called "anti-cancer foods" mostly originate from certain research institutions and "scientifically" identify the active ingredients in each food, making them seem highly credible. But are these foods that claim to "fight cancer" really effective? "In fact, most of that content is either a selective interpretation of original data or an intentional or unintentional misreading of the source material to cater to public sentiment,""Li Jun stated that cancer development results from the combined effects of multiple factors, and no single food can protect people from cancer. "All vegetables and fruits contain components beneficial to the human body. Whether blue-purple, green, or yellow, they all contribute to health," Li Jun said. In real life, people have no need to pursue which vegetable has what "specific function," as those legendary functions often lack reliable scientific evidence."For modern urban dwellers, vegetable and fruit intake is often insufficient. Therefore, the key is to increase the variety and quantity of these foods in one's diet, rather than seeking out 'superior varieties' in hopes of 'miraculous effects.'"
Cancer prevention should focus on "what to avoid," not "what to consume"
"Cancer involves cellular proliferation and apoptosis, with diet often acting as a triggering factor," explains Li Jun. Among carcinogenic factors, dietary influences account for 35%, tobacco for 30%—combined, these represent approximately 65%, far exceeding other factors like environmental pollution and viruses. "Therefore, actively controlling dietary components and modifying eating habits plays a crucial role in cancer prevention."Scientific research has found that high-fat and high-calorie diets correlate positively with breast cancer incidence and may be linked to endometrial, ovarian, prostate, and gallbladder cancers. Lung cancer patients often exhibit deficiencies in vitamin A and selenium. Laryngeal and oral cancers are associated with smoking and heavy drinking. Thyroid cancer relates to dietary iodine deficiency. Nasopharyngeal cancer connects to dietary nitrosamine contamination.Consistently consuming overly hard, excessively spicy foods, or eating too quickly or with scalding temperatures increases esophageal cancer risk over time; excessive saccharin intake may be a contributing factor to bladder cancer;Spicy foods and high-salt diets damage the gastric mucosa, causing atrophy of stomach wall cells and increasing cancer risk; Moldy foods contain high levels of aflatoxins, one of the primary causes of liver cancer... "Scientific 'anti-cancer' eating benefits health without harm."Li Jun emphasized, "The primary focus should be on modifying dietary habits. Cancer prevention is about 'what not to eat,' not 'what to eat.'"