Can a vegetarian diet lower cancer risk? (2024)

FAQs

Can a vegetarian diet lower cancer risk? ›

Can becoming vegetarian or vegan help lower your cancer risk? While no diet choice will guarantee that you won't develop cancer, cutting meat can help you lower your cancer risk. The American Institute for Cancer Research promotes a plant-based diet. Two-thirds or more of your plate should be plant-based foods.

While some studies have observed that those who follow a vegetarian diet have a lower risk of developing cancer as a whole, no individual study has been able to show with enough reliability that vegetarians have a lower risk of developing specific cancers (eg colorectal cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer).

"Cancer-fighting foods"

The list is usually topped with berries, broccoli, tomatoes, walnuts, grapes and other vegetables, fruits and nuts. "If you look at the typical foods that reduce cancer risk, it's pretty much all plant foods that contain phytochemicals," says Wohlford.

Protecting against cancer – foods to eat

foods high in dietary fibre, such as grains and cereals. tomatoes. citrus fruits (such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes) cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and other Asian greens.

Going slowly and starting with small portions of meat will make the process easier. Because meat has a higher fat content than plants, it takes longer to digest. You might experience constipation and/or bloating. Sometimes, you might experience breakouts or heartburn when you start eating meat again.

A team of researchers at Loma Linda University in the United States has shown vegetarian men live for an average of 10 years longer than non-vegetarian men — 83 years compared to 73 years. For women, being vegetarian added an extra 6 years to their lives, helping them reach 85 years on average.

For example, one way the immune system fights cancer is by sending out a special form of white blood cells called T cells: The T cells see cancer as “foreign” cells that don't belong in the body. The T cells attack and try to destroy the cancerous cells.

Early (preclinical) studies showed that some cancer cells can't use ketones as energy. So, changing the diet to be high in fat and low in carbohydrate will lower glucose levels and starve cancer cells. Normal body cells adapt and can use ketones to survive.

Study bolsters findings that superfood may be effective against breast cancer. Possessing a navy hue and a powerful punch, the blueberry is one of the most potent and popular disease fighters available.

Red grapes (and red wine) are loaded with resveratrol, which inhibits cancer-cell growth and causes cancer cells to self-destruct. According to recent findings, resveratrol remains effective — and may be more powerful — after it's metabolized by the body.

Which food is most likely to contain carcinogens? ›

Most cancer-causing DNA changes occur in sections of DNA called genes. These changes are also called genetic changes. A DNA change can cause genes involved in normal cell growth to become oncogenes. Unlike normal genes, oncogenes cannot be turned off, so they cause uncontrolled cell growth.

You may gain some healthy bacteria in your gut—and some bloat, at least at first. "Your body has digestive enzymes that handle the proteins in both meat and plants, and that doesn't change when you stop eating meat," explains Liz Applegate, PhD, director of sports nutrition at the University of California, Davis.

And people who don't eat meat, called vegetarians, generally eat fewer calories and less fat. They also tend to weigh less. And they have a lower risk of heart disease than nonvegetarians do. Research shows that people who eat red meat are at a higher risk of death from heart disease, stroke or diabetes.

It's worth mentioning that some individuals who regularly eat meat can actually experience acne breakouts if they suddenly stop consuming meat. The body is complex, and there's no way to know for sure how eating meat or cutting it out will affect one's skin until enough time has gone by.

Research has shown that vegetarians are 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease, and they have 40 percent of the cancer rate of meat-eaters.

Vegetarians usually have lower levels of potentially carcinogenic substances in their colons, but studies comparing cancer rates in vegetarians and nonvegetarians have shown inconsistent results. Type 2 diabetes. Research suggests that a predominantly plant-based diet can reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Following a vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. But some vegetarian diets may rely too heavily on processed foods with too many calories, and too much sugar, fat and salt. These diets may not include enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nutrient-rich foods.

Moreover, not all plant-based foods are equally healthy. Unhealthy vegetarian diets poor in specific nutrients (vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and calcium) and/or rich in highly processed and refined foods increase morbidity and mortality.