It is a widely known fact that you should be eating fruits and vegetables for a balanced diet. In addition, studies have shown that the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables in place of meats can help prevent the onset of many diseases. Eating fruits and vegetables have been said to help in cancer prevention. Two examples of such fruits and vegetables that help prevent prostate cancer are quoted here:

Tomatoes

There is increasing evidence to support that the consumption of tomato and tomato-based products helps prevent prostate cancer. This is because tomatoes contain a particular substance known as lycopene. While lycopene is found in a variety of different sources, it is abundant in tomatoes. Additionally, somehow, the nutrients contained in the fruit help the body assimilate lycopene more readily.

Lycopene is apparently a very powerful antioxidant. During normal cellular processes, your immune system uses free radicals to mop out any foreign invaders like germs and bacteria. However, trouble starts if the free radicals are allowed to roam the body unchecked. They will eventually start attacking healthy cells, making them cancerous. These cancerous cells will then start to spread throughout the whole body. Antioxidants are substances that clean up excess free radicals. They therefore play a very critical role to help prevent prostate cancer.

Here are some interesting findings. The maximum benefits of lycopene appear to come from processed tomato products such as ketchup and tomato sauce. Scientists do not appear to know why but lycopene levels in processed tomatoes are found to be higher than in natural ones. These findings are not completely verified, however.

By all means, include ketchup and real tomatoes in your diet if you wish to prevent prostate cancer. Based on statistics, consuming at least two servings of lycopene a week can reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer by as much as 30%.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Substances that are known to cause cancers are known as called carcinogens. You may not be aware of this but we ingest carcinogens on a daily basis. Carcinogens are toxins that can also be found in the air that we breathe. Luckily, your body has a natural defence mechanism against carcinogens. Using protective proteins, the body cleans up the carcinogens before they can do any real harm. Cancer only starts when the protective proteins are removed or rendered useless.

To maintain the health of these protective proteins, researchers now advocate the regular consumption of cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and bok choy. These vegetables contain sulforaphane, a compound that strengthens the protective proteins. When sulforaphane is available within the body, the activities of the proteins increase. They become more efficient in dealing with carcinogens and thus slow down cancerous growth.

To get an adequate supply of sulforaphane, you should have at least 5 servings a week of cruciferous vegetables. A long term study show that men who eat cruciferous vegetables on a regular basis show a reduction of 20% less risk on having prostate cancer.

Thus, if you wish to prevent prostate cancer or reduce the risk of being diagnosed with one, consider including more tomatoes, broccoli and brussel sprouts in your diet today. There are many ways to prepare these fruits and vegetables to make them more palatable ; in salads, stews, juices, stir fried, boiled or baked.