Skip to main content

Finally the below zero days of winter are behind us and we can now enjoy the nice, warm sunny days of spring and summer. Besides the change in temperature, there will soon be an abundance of produce at our local farmers’ markets.

In a few weeks you will see containers overflowing with berries and peaches, a colorful array of various peppers, and lush bouquets of leafy greens. As we discussed in the previous blog, research shows a plant-based diet is the best approach to disease prevention.

Cancer is a disease often thought to impact anyone at any time. However, as cancer research progresses, we are realizing cancer doesn’t always strike randomly. We actually have more control than we once thought. We aren’t saying cancer is completely preventable; however, we are saying there are many things you can do to reduce your cancer risk.

So what makes these plant foods so protective? Phytochemicals are chemicals naturally found in plants. In fact, phyto means plant in Greek. They give all our fruits and vegetables their bright, beautiful colors along with their flavors and smells. Once eaten, these phytochemicals cause beneficial chemical reactions to occur inside our bodies. They help activate our immune system, reduce inflammation, prevent DNA damage and help with repair, and slow the growth of cancer cells. Some of these chemicals may play a major role as antioxidants. These compounds can help reduce free radicals in our body that can damage DNA and promote some types of cancer.

The chart above highlights a few of the well-studied phytochemicals in foods you may find at your local farmers’ market.

Unsure about how to incorporate these foods into your diet? One idea is to make a salad- they’re easy and the possibilities are endless. Click on the link below for the American Institute of Cancer Research’s salad in a jar recipe.

http://www.aicr.org/health-e-recipes/2015/her-553-salad-in-a-jar.html

Try these apps out to find nutritious produce near you!

Dirty Dozen (free)

EWG publishes its annual rating of conventional foods with the most and least pesticide residues to fill the void left by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has largely failed to tell Americans all they have a right to know about the risks of pesticide exposure and ways they can reduce pesticides in their diets.

Ask the Nutritionist: Recipes for Fighting Cancer

The Ask the Nutritionist: Recipes for Fighting Cancer app was created by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a forum to ask nutrition questions and deliver recipes for staying healthy through cancer treatment and healthy eating throughout life.

Farmstand

Fresh food at your fingertips. Discover the best locally grown food from over 8,700 farmers’ markets around the world

Locavore

The easiest way to find local, in-season food. Pinpoint nearby farmers’ markets & farms that sell the products you love. Discover seasonal recipes.