Eat a rainbow to prevent cancer

Red fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigments called "lycopene" or "anthocyanins." Lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, for example,  help reduce risk of several types of cancer. Lycopene in foods containing cooked tomatoes, such as spaghetti sauce, and a small amount of fat are absorbed better than lycopene from raw tomatoes. Anthocyanins in strawberries, raspberries, red grapes and other fruits and vegetables act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage.  Remember it is damaged cells that turn into cancer.

These are some examples of the red group:

• Red apples
• Beets
• Red cabbage
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Pink grapefruit
• Red grapes
• Red peppers
• Pomegranates
• Red potatoes
• Radishes
• Raspberries
• Rhubarb
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Scientific evidence suggests that lycopene may help prevent breast cancer. In an epidemiological study published in 2008 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," more than 84,000 postmenopausal women were followed for about seven years, while documenting their incidence of breast cancer and their intake of lycopene-rich food. The authors concluded that consuming lycopene was associated with a noticeably reduced incidence of breast cancer.

Anthocyanins may aid in the prevention of breast cancer according to a laboratory study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2010. In test-tube experiments, scientists showed that anthocyanins extracted from blueberries helped inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables are usually colored by natural plant pigments called "carotenoids." Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots is converted to vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy mucous membranes and healthy eyes. Scientists have also reported that carotenoid-rich foods can help reduce risk of cancer and improve immune system function, which when operating at peak will take care of any free radicals that want to mutate health cells into cancer cells. These foods are anti inflammatory as well, which leaves  your immune system free to take care of you rather than use its energy fighting information.

Some examples of the orange/yellow group include:

• Yellow apples
• Apricots
• Butternut squash
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Grapefruit
• Lemons
• Mangoes
• Nectarines
• Oranges
• Papayas
• Peaches
• Pears
• Yellow peppers
• Persimmons
• Pineapple
• Pumpkin
• Rutabagas
• Yellow summer or winter squash
• Sweet corn
• Sweet potatoes
• Tangerines
• Yellow tomatoes
• Yellow watermelon

I know it is a lot to absorb right? So much information is often overwhelming. I am trying my best to put it into bite size pieces here so that one can learn a bit at a time. One great suggestion came across  for simplifying what the heck to eat  was to try and have three colors of fruit or veggie with every  meal.

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