Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to help boost childhood health through good nutrition.
1) Broccoli, cauliflower, kale and other cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, a phytochemical that may reduce the risk of stomach, breast and skin cancer.
2) Blueberries (and blackberries, raspberries and strawberries) are thought to offer particularly powerful cancer-preventive effects, because they contain antioxidants like polyphenols, including ellagic acid and anthocyanins that counteract, reduce and repair damage to cells.
3) Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, mangoes. The orange fruits and vegetables are loaded with beta-carotene, an antioxidant thought to protect cell membranes from damage.
4) Tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit contain lycopene is an antioxidant that give them their red color. Lycopene is thought to be associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer.
5) Beans are low in calories and packed with fiber and phytochemicals, they are a great source of protein and are a good alternative to red meat.
6) Garlic. Some studies suggest that garlic reduces the risk of colon cancer (and if adding some sautéed garlic to vegetables helps your family eat more of them — great!). Garlic contains allyl sulfides which — at least in the lab — inhibit colon tumor formation and cell growth.
7) Whole grain bread, cereal, rice, pasta and other grains. Studies linking whole grains to reduce cancer risk are pretty inconsistent, but whole grains tend to be higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals than refined grains and some studies do suggest they play a role in reducing colon cancer risk. So — the jury is still out on the relationship to cancer, but it’s a good idea for your overall health to eat more whole grains. Shoot for at least half your child’s grains each day being whole grains.
8) Salmon and other fish/shellfish: There is not much evidence showing that including more fish in your diet reduces cancer risk; however, eating red meats, such as beef, pork and lamb, and processed meats such as bacon, ham and sausage, increases the lifetime risk of colon cancer. To help reduce your family’s cancer risk, substitute fish for red and processed meat. At the same time, you may also help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Source: Colleen Doyle, M.S., R.D., American Cancer Society, 2015
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