5 Foods That May Reduce the Risk of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide and the leading cancer for men in the United States. Here are five nutrient rich foods that may help to prevent it .

1. Onions

Not only is there strong evidence that onions can help lower the risk of prostate cancer, they may also help prevent other types of cancer too.

According to The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden:

"Onions are a cancer-fighting food. In a number of impressive published studies, the consumption of onions (and other members of the allium vegetable family) demonstrated protective effects against stomach cancer. And in one study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, eating onions (as well as other members of its family like garlic, scallions, chives, and leeks) significantly lowered the risk for prostate cancer. Onions (and there close relatives) have also been shown to have the same effect against esophageal cancer."

2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which multiple studies suggest may help to both reduce the risk of prostate cancer and prevent tumor growth. Eating cooked tomatoes or tomato sauce along with foods rich in healthy fats, like olive oil or avocados, is the best way to get lycopene in a way that your body can easily absorb.

3. Broccoli

According to http://www.healthline.com:

"Several studies have demonstrated a lower chance of developing prostate cancer among men who eat large amounts of broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables...Although the reasons as to why are still unclear, some researchers propose that one of the pytochemicals found in these vegetables, called sulforaphane, selectively targets and kills cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected."

4. Pomegranate Juice

Preliminary studies show the potential of pomegranate juice to reduce the risk of prostate cancer is promising.

According to http://www.health.harvard.edu

"Two recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice may help fight prostate cancer. In one study, scientists grew cells from highly aggressive cases of human prostate cancer in tissue cultures. Pomegranate fruit extracts slowed the growth of the cultured cancer cells and promoted cell death. The researchers then implanted the cancer cells in mice. A group of mice that received water laced with pomegranate juice developed significantly smaller tumors than the untreated animals. In a preliminary study of men with prostate cancer, pomegranate juice lengthened patients’ PSA doubling time (the longer the doubling time, the slower the tumor is growing) from 15 months before treatment to 54 months on the juice."

5. Grapes

This is good news for red wine lovers. According to 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! by David Grotto, "A cell study using advanced human prostate cells found that treatment with grape seed extract inhibited cell growth and caused them to die. Another study showed that drinking four or more glasses of red wine per week could cut the risk of prostate cancer in half."

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Tomatoes

1. In a part of Spain, there's an annual tradition of pelting tomatoes at your neighbors called "La Tomatina."

2. In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court legally classified the tomato as a vegetable because it's used as one. It's actually a fruit.

3. Drinking tomato juice, and bathing in it, has been advocated for skin disorders such as eczema.

4. The Aztecs made the first salsa - tomatoes prepared with peppers, corn, and salt.

5. Tomato leaves are poisonous.

Tomato Soup & The Power of Lycopene

One reason that tomato soup can be very good for you is because tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene which condenses during the slow cooking process. Also, the heat makes the lycopene in tomatoes easier to absorb, although since it's fat soluble, it's important to also consume it with some dietary fat.

 Lycopene is a super powerful antioxidant allegedly having about twice the antioxidant power as beta-carotene. Antioxidants help to reduce the damage caused to the body by free radicals and, as a result, help protect the body against numerous diseases as well as slow the aging process. Lycopene has been linked to preventing cardiovascular disease, skin damage, cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Lycopene has also been specifically linked to the prevention of prostate cancer.