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Cancer Diet With Beta Carotene & Turmeric

Whether you have been diagnosed with cancer or want to proactively reduce the risk of it, a rigorous diet plan can help to boost the odds in your favor. Beyond the basic essentials of an anti-cancer diet, supplementation with proven cancer-fighting agents can help your cause. Although studies have shown that turmeric is effective at helping to fight cancer, studies on beta-carotene supplementation have been mixed, so you might want to think twice before including it in your diet.

  1. Plant-based Foods

    • Plant-based nutrition, including foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, are effective at helping to prevent and treat cancer, according to information from the American Cancer Society. Ideally, around 60 percent of a cancer-fighting diet should consist of these foods, with an equal split between the three types. Good fruits and vegetables for combating cancer include green vegetables like spinach, lettuce and broccoli, along with colorful fruits like tomatoes, berries and grapes.

    Protein and Fat Sources

    • Although protein and fat sources are necessary to ensure good health, they should be consumed with caution while on an anti-cancer diet. Stick only to lean sources of protein such as poultry and seafood, which are naturally low in unhealthy saturated fat. Consume mostly unsaturated fats from nuts, cooking oils and seeds to keep your odds of developing cancer low. Limit saturated fats to no more than 10 percent of total daily calories, and trans fats to no more than two grams per day.

    Turmeric

    • Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Eastern cooking and doubles as a medicinal ingredient in traditional Eastern medicine. According to information from the American Cancer Society, studies on turmeric have shown it to be effective at slowing or halting the development of cancer cells. Turmeric has been shown safe to consume in dosages up to 10 grams per day (for short periods of time) and 3.6 grams per day (for longer periods of time).

    Beta-carotene

    • Beta-carotene is a type of nutrient that the body uses to convert into vitamin A. According to the ACS, although some studies have found some marginal cancer-fighting benefit to consumption of beta-carotene, others involving lung cancer have shown either no effect or that additional beta-carotene actually hastens the death of patients.

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