1. Berries
According to Dr. Berg, two particular types of berries stand out for their exceptional cancer-fighting potential: blueberries and blackberries.
This is because they have a ton of anthocyanins. Dr. Berg highlights that one fascinating property of these berries is their ability to "inhibit cancer growth."
“Anthocyanins also feed your gut microbes; 80% of your immune system is in your gut microbiome, so our gut microbes love to eat these plant-based chemicals," he says.
Anthocyanins have been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. “I will say they’re observational studies, but the research is pretty strong,” he notes.
2. Citrus fruits
Fruits such as lemons, limes, and grapefruits are not only “loaded with vitamin C, which helps your immune system, but they’re loaded with flavonoids. One being the detoxification of cancer-causing agents,” Dr. Berg reveals. This can turn the liver's ability to turn these carcinogens into harmless particles.
He says that adding lemon in water or regularly eating these fruits can decrease your risk of certain types of cancers, especially ones that are linked to the digestive system.
3. Pomegranates
Pomegranates are rich in elegiac acid, along with having other anti-cancer properties. “These compounds work over time to protect your DNA from damage,” he notes.
4. Grapes
This one may be a surprise, but grapes are also an excellent fruit that can aid in decreasing cancer risk. Grapes have a phytonutrient called resveratrol. This is known “to help decrease aging, and one of the reasons why someone can extend their age is they’re not dying from certain things.”
Resveratrol is also a well-researched phytonutrient that “has all sorts of properties, one being a superhero anti-cancer effect that can bulletproof your cells from experiencing excessive amounts of stress that can then cause the triggering of the cancer,” Dr. Berg says.
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are usually seen as a vegetable, but they are a fruit that have a ton of benefits when it comes to fighting cancer cells. “Tomatoes are loaded with something called lycopene. You can actually increase the amount of lycopene if you cook the tomato,” just like tomato sauce! Dr. Berg encourages you to try tomatoes of different colors, as each one contains different phytonutrients.
6. Avocados
That avocado toast you eat every morning has a range of health benefits, with one of them being cancer-fighting properties.
“The first thing that avocados have is glutathione. This lowers oxidation reactions in the body,” he notes. Dr. Berg says it’s a ”super powerful antioxidant that can protect your cells against carcinogens,” which is something that causes cancer. “The more glutathione you can consume from actual food, the better.”
Another thing avocados have are certain phytonutrients that target cancer stem cells. “Those are cells that have not turned into cancer cells yet, but they’re going to,” he shares.
7. Olives
The last one on the list is olives. These flavor-rich fruits have something called “oleuropein” and “hydroxytyrosol.” Both of these can protect against the growth of cancer cells.
“Olives are like a natural shield; they protect the body from the inside out. Another cool thing about olives is that these phytonutrients increase something called apoptosis.” Apoptosis is when “the cell is sick,” and it naturally commits suicide to protect the whole body. “The phytonutrients in olives can help cause the cancer cell to commit suicide.”