Anti-Prostate Cancer Foods

Tomatoes

Active ingredient(s):
Lycopene, an antioxidant

Why eat them?
Lycopene is an antioxidant compound, a carotenoid, which gives tomatoes their color. It is also one of the most widely studied anti-cancer agents. A 2004 review of all the studies to date on tomatoes found a slight reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer in men with high blood levels of lycopene or with diets rich in tomatoes. In 2007, however, the largest study of its kind disputed these results. Fortunately, further studies of greater quality are currently underway that will hopefully put any doubt to rest. Notwithstanding those results, tomatoes are still chock-full of other beneficial vitamins and antioxidants and, thus, this little red fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) should be a part of any healthy diet.

How should you prepare them?
When it comes to tomatoes, the general rule of thumb is to add heat and fat whenever possible. The more processed the tomatoes and the longer you cook them, the more lycopene is released. Adding fat in the way of oils or meats will also improve lycopene absorption.

Broccoli

Active ingredient(s):
Sulforaphane, among others

Why eat it?
It turns out mom was right: You should really eat your broccoli. In fact, all cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower, kale and brussels sprouts, appear to offer anti-cancer benefits. Although it’s still not clear which of the many beneficial chemicals or compounds found in broccoli is most responsible for protecting your health, sulforaphane has been the most widely investigated.

Just how does it prevent cancer? Well, sulforaphane might act as an antioxidant itself or it may instead boost detoxifying enzymes in the body. Regardless of how broccoli helps, it’s clear that it is a potent anti-prostate cancer veggie. Some experts even suggest that it’s one of the strongest anti-cancer fighters we have.

How should you prepare it?
When it comes to the method of preparing your broccoli, there is no clear-cut champion, so try to mix things up each time you dine. Eat it raw sometimes, steamed others, and if you boil it, try not to overdo it. Mixing it with other anti-prostate cancer foods such as tomatoes may even enhance anti-cancer effects according to one study done in mice.