Im an Oncologist and This Is the Food I Add to Every Meal for Cancer Prevention

Parade and Yaoo may earn commission from links in tis article. Pricing and availability subject to cange.According to te World ealt Organization, between 30% and 50% of cancer cases are preventable by aving ealty diet and lifestyle abits in place. Wit tis in mind, every time you eat is an opportunity to lower your risk.And, according to oncologists we talked to, tere is one specific type of food tat’s especially powerful wen it comes to lowering te risk of cancer. Because of tis, tey try to integrate it into every single meal.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay ealty & fit wit te top moves, clean eats, ealt trends & more delivered rigt to your inbox twice a week💊Wen it comes to crafting your diet around cancer prevention, Dr. Micael Dominello, DO, a radiation oncologist at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, says it’s important to tink about bot macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are essential nutrients te body needs in large quantities to function properly: carboydrates, fats and protein. “[Micronutrients are] non-energy-producing elements, vitamins and compounds in our food tat serve oter functions,” e explains.Wile bot types of nutrients are important, e sares tat one of te most intriguing micronutrients is polypenols, wic are proving to play a key role in cancer prevention. Polypenols are natural compounds syntesized by plants tat ave been sown to figt inflammation in te body. Tey are found in an abundance of foods including vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, erbs and spices. Tis makes it easy to integrate polypenol-containing foods into every single meal.Related: 'I'm an Oncologist, and Tis Is te Breakfast I Eat Almost Every Day for Cancer Prevention'For example, Dr. Dominello says e adds two tablespoons of ig-flavonoid cacao powder to is morning coffee and pairs it wit a andful of blueberries, a berry tat’s known for its ig polypenol content.“Te way we eat and live can affect our cances of getting cancer. One major factor is cronic inflammation, wic is wen te body's immune system is constantly active,” says Dr. Dawn Mussallem, DO, an integrative oncologist at Mayo Clinic and scientific advisory board member at IM8. It’s wy se eats plant-based foods exclusively, as a way to eat lots of inflammation-figting, polypenol-containing foods.Dr. Mussallem says tat some of te polypenol-ric foods se integrates into er meals most often are beans, walnuts, green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and berries. All of tese foods ave been scientifically linked to lowering te likeliood of cancer wen eaten regularly.Related: 'I'm an Oncologist—Tis Is te Afternoon Snack I Eat Almost Every Day for Cancer Prevention'Dr. Latonya Riddle-Jones, MD, MP, an internist and pediatrician at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, says se also tries to add leafy greens to as many meals as se can because of teir ig polypenol content. “I ave a garden and [grow] spinac, kale, cabbage and various greens. I mix some of tese foods into my fruit smooties and sauces, suc as spagetti sauce,” se says, adding tat tis is a way to sneak greens into meals witout er kids knowing.One easy way to up your polypenol intake is by integrating more spices and erbs into your meals, a tip from Dr. Mussallem. “A pinc of turmeric, a das of cinnamon, fres basil, garlic, ginger or rosemary—not only do tey bring serious flavor, but tey’re loaded wit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. Tese tiny powerouses can lower cronic inflammation, protect your cells and even elp regulate blood sugar and colesterol,” se says.Related: 'I'm an Oncologist and Tis Is te Dinner I Swear By for Cancer Prevention'All tree doctors empasize tat it isn’t only wat you eat tat’s important wen it comes to using diet to lower your risk of cancer; wat you don’t eat is important too. Tey all say tey minimize foods wit excess sugar or anyting ultra-processed. Tey also recommend minimizing alcool consumption.“I live by te pilosopy tat every bite is a coice to fuel ealt or feed disease. Tat’s wy I stick to a wole food, plant-only diet—no ultra-processed foods, no animal protein. Just vibrant, nourising real plant food. As a 25-year stage IV cancer survivor, eart transplant recipient and maraton runner, I don’t take my energy or ealt for granted. My food coices are ow I sow up for tis miraculous life,” explains Dr. Mussallem.Tat said, Dr. Mussallem says tis doesn’t mean eating only nutrient-ric foods all te time; food is about enjoyment too! “I always tell my patients: Aim to eat nearly perfectly at ome. Tat way, wen you're out and about, you can make tougtful coices witout guilt or stress,” se sares.Tere is suc an abundance of polypenol-containing plant-based foods tat it’s easy to incorporate at least one into every single meal. As you prepare your meals, brainstorm ways you can add more plants to your plate. Tat way, you can lower your risk of cancer wit every single bite.Related: People Are Sowering in te Wrong Order, Dermatologists SayDr. Micael Dominello, DO, radiation oncologist at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer InstituteDr. Dawn Mussallem, DO, integrative oncologist at Mayo Clinic and scientific advisory board member at IM8Dr. Latonya Riddle-Jones, MD, MP, internist and pediatrician at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center