• Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Cancer Dietitian

Lifestyle tips for prevention and survivorship. Keeping you well beyond cancer!

  • About
    • Meet Julie
    • Speaking & Awards
    • Privacy and Disclosure Policy
  • Blog Articles
    • Recipes
    • Recent Articles
    • Hot Topics
      • GMO Foods Debate
      • Does Sugar Feed Cancer?
      • Organic Foods Discussion
      • Julie’s Favorite Resources
      • Cancer Diets
      • Cancer Prevention
      • Meal Planning
  • Podcast
  • Webinars & Videos
    • Webinars
    • Videos
  • Contact
    • Ask Julie a Question
    • Media Inquiries
    • Request a Speaker
  • Resources
    • Store – Resources for Dietitians – PDF Downloads
    • Julie’s Recommended Books
    • Julie’s Recommended Kitchen Tools

Truth or Myth: Superfoods Prevent Cancer.

January 27, 2009 By Julie Lanford MPH, RD, CSO, LDN

What Are Superfoods?

People or companies who claim to sell “superfoods” would have you believe that there is something magical in certain food items that will protect or even cure your body of diseases. I know that you’ve seen or heard the claims about the latest product, juice or food that is claimed to be a superfood.

The term “superfood” does not have a legal definition! In general “superfood” refers to a food item that is supposed to be particularly nutritious. However, the word is mostly just used as a marketing tool, so beware!

A Superdiet?

I read something this week that I loved… and I’ll write it BIG because I like it so much!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS “SUPERFOODS”, ONLY A “SUPER DIET”.

Research shows that what we eat and drink and how physically active we are can help us prevent cancer at any time in life, from childhood to old age. In fact, our diet and our physical activity level can reduce our risk for cancer by approximately one-third.

However, it is not ONE food or exercise that is going to make the biggest difference. It is the combination of foods and beverages along with daily physical activity and making choices to minimize exposure to carcinogens to maintain optimal health.

How Do I Make My Diet a “Superdiet”?

First of all, let you remind you what “diet” means. A diet is not something that you go on and off. I define diet as “what you eat”! We all have diets. I have a diet, my dog has a diet. What we choose to eat is what makes our diet.

In order to make a superdiet, you want to be choosing foods and beverages that are particularly nutritious. That would include foods and drinks that have lots of phytochemicals (including antioxidants), vitamins, minerals, and fiber in them along with some combination of the major nutrients (water, carbs, protein or fat).

Want to include more nutritious foods in order to make your diet a superdiet? Here’s a list to start with. Make sure that you have at least one of these foods at each meal along with 30 minutes of your favorite physical activity.

Superdiet Foods:

 

  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Beets
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Collards
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Whole Oats
  • Walnuts
  • Almonds
  • Wild Salmon
  • Wild Tuna
  • Soybeans
  • Green or Black Tea
  • Garbanzo Beans
  • Black Beans
  • Pinto Beans
  • Kidney Beans
  • Tomato
  • Orange
  • Lemon Zest

I hope it makes you feel SUPER!

– Julie

Colorectal Cancer: The Most Preventable Cancer
Foods to Support Immunity and Cut Cancer Risk

Filed Under: Cancer Diets, Cancer Prevention, Education, Myth Busting Tagged With: anti, anti-cancer, blueberries, cancer, food, superfoods

This post may contain affiliate links for products I recommend. This means if you click on a link and purchase a product, Cancer Services, Inc. will receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. We use these proceeds to support cancer patient direct services and community education in the Triad area of North Carolina. For more information, view our disclosure policy.

Brought to you by:

Search Recipes & Articles

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Whether you've been diagnosed with cancer or not, we will provide you with the most up-to-date and evidence based information regarding lifestyle choices and cancer risk. Sign up HERE.

Podcast Episodes

Topics

Recent Articles:

  • Eat the Rainbow Winter Week 2- Produce Myth #2: Frozen vs. Canned Fruits & Vegetables
  • Eat the Rainbow Winter Edition Week 1: Produce Myth #1- Are All Processed Foods Bad for You?
  • Apple Crisp Bars
  • [WEBINAR RECORDING] Cancer Nutrition Hot Topics
  • Cancer Dietitian Programs in November

Archives

Featured Recipes

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

Whether you've been diagnosed with cancer or not, we will provide you with the most up-to-date and evidence based information regarding lifestyle choices and cancer risk. Sign up HERE.

SEARCH RECIPES & ARTICLES

Copyright © 2023 · Cancer Dietitian · Evidence based lifestyle tips for cancer prevention and survivorship · Privacy Policy