Foods help to reduce chance of Cancer (carcinoma)

Apr 26, 20192 min read

There are thousands of natural compounds that have been studied with demonstrable anti-cancer activity (check out over 600 on our cancer research database), but only a small subset of these have been proven to target and kill the cancer stem cells which lie at the root of cancer malignancy. Turmeric, for instance, we have featured a number of times for this “smart kill” property of targeting just the heart of cancerous tumors. More recently, ginger has been found in pre-clinical research to contain a compound up to 10,000 times more effective than the chemotherapy drug Taxol at killing breast cancer stem cells. Even common food like blueberry have special cancer killing properties, as discussed in a previous article: Research: Radiotherapy Causes Cancer, Blueberry Kills It .

A new study published in the journal Anticancer Research titled, “Natural Products That Target Cancer Stem Cells,” has made our job much easier of identifying this special category of cancer killers by reviewing the extant literature on the topic and listing the top 25 substances in this category. They are listed here below, along with some of their commonly recognizable dietary sources:

1. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – Green Tea

2. 6-Gingerol – Ginger

3. β-Carotene – Carrot, Leafy Greens

4. Baicalein – Chinese Skullcap

5. Curcumin – Turmeric

6. Cyclopamine – Corn Lilly [we do not suggest consuming this plant; this simply illustrates natural components exist that kill cancer stem cells]

7. Delphinidin – Blueberry, raspberrry

8. Flavonoids (Genistein) – Soy, red clover, coffee

9. Gossypol – Cottonseed [we do not suggest consuming this plant; this simply illustrates natural components exist that kill cancer stem cells]

10. Guggulsterone – Commiphora (myrrh tree)

11. Isothiocyanates – Cruciferous vegetables

12. Linalool – Mint