Page 27 - EatingWell Special Edition Superfoods 2019

BROCCOLI
IS A STAR IN
THE CANCER-
PREVENTION
WORLD: RESEARCH
HAS FOUND A LINK
BETWEEN EATING
IT AND A LOWER
RISK OF CANCER.

thought to raise their risk of breast cancer. Among the benefits of exercise go beyond weight control,
men, the evidence is less strong, but experts still ad- since physical activity also boosts the immune sys-
vise men not to have more than two drinks a day. tem and helps regulate certain hormones to healthy
That said, it is also reported that people who drink a production levels.
bit of alcohol (fewer than three drinks a week) have None of this, however, means particular foods

a lower overall risk of some cancers than teetotal- should be forbidden. As usual, moderation rules.
ers. As for sugar, it’s not clear yet if the problem is “We need to think of filling most of our plate with
the sweet stuff itself—and therefore the body’s in- plant foods,” Bender says. Cancer isn’t the only
sulin response—or the extra body fat that can come threat against good health. There’s plenty of evi-
from eating too much sugar (excess body fat can dence that eating a healthier diet lowers your risk
disrupt hormones, potentially upping cancer risk). of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and obesity. So dig
Obesity raises the risk of many cancers; for into a bowl of blueberries and oatmeal and you’ll be

some, like endometrial and esophageal cancers, less hungry for a blueberry muffin (denser on calo-
perhaps as many as 40% of cases are attributed to ries and sugar, lighter on fiber and vitamins). “When
a higher body weight. This partly explains why ex- you start making good choices, you’re not as hun-
ercise may be beneficial for preventing cancer. But gry for the bad choices,” Daniel-MacDougall says. •

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