Dr Oz | Dr. Oz: Anti-Cancer Superfoods Grocery List with David Katz

Dr. Oz and David Katz, author of The Way to Eat: A Six-Step Path to Lifelong Weight Control and Director and Co-Founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center, discussed a list of anti-cancer superfoods for us to take to the grocery.  Here is Dr. Oz’s anti-cancer grocery list!  This list will change and maybe even save your life, since these foods help fight cancer and prevent rogue cells from growing out of control.  Last year, 1.5 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in America.  600,000 people died from cancer in the USA last year, and 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will face cancer at some point in their life.

The American Institute for Cancer Research found that 1 in 3 cases of cancer can be prevented.  In fact, the study of epigenetics has shown that certain foods we eat can turn on or off the genes that cause us to get cancer.  Cancer is a complex disease, but changing your diet can be just as effective at reducing your risk of cancer as quitting smoking.  David Katz said that 30-60% of cancer can be prevented by eating anti-cancer superfoods.

Karen, a 48 year old woman, was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.  She had surgery to remove the tumor and 12 rounds of chemotherapy.  But Karen thinks she is cancer free not because she infused her body with everything green… She went green!  Green tea, kale, cabbage, parsley, leafy greens – these all became standard in her diet.  She says that you are what you eat and she had to cram in nutrients to supercharge her immune system.  Each day she has 16 ounces of a green drink made of kale, chard, collard greens, lemon with the rind, ginger and celery.  Dr. Oz says that research has shown that lab mice grown tumors a lot smaller and that their tumors grown much slower when fed similar green drinks.

So lets all commit to rethinking our fridge.  Clean everything out and refill your fridge with the following list of foods.

Dr. Oz’s Anti-Cancer Superfoods

Fighting Five – Vegetables and Fruits

Fruits and vegetables do not have an excess of salt or sugar.  Tomatoes have lycopene and carrots have carotenoids, but these are only released when the vegetables are cooked a bit.  The best way to cook tomatoes and carrots is in a bit of oil, because this helps our body absorb the lycopenes and carotenoids.  Women who eat broccoli and cabbage are 72% less likely to get breast cancer.  Broccoli should be cooked a little (steamed for example), but do not overcook it or you lose the vitamins… same goes for cabbage!  Other fruits and vegetables to eat include leafy greens, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, leeks, shallots, onions, mushrooms, lentils, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, spinach, grapefruit, lemon, lime, apples, blueberries, raspberries, apricots, pomegranates, mangoes, oranges and strawberries

Tumor Torpedoes – Whole Grains

We should have three servings a day of whole grains, which are loaded with fiber and helps to move everything through our primary detox system, our digestive system.  Whole grains are also a great source of soluble fiber, which is good for regulating your hormone levels.  Try whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, whole grain tortillas, oats, flaxseed and quinoa.

Cell Commando Foods – Proteins

Replace fatty proteins (like beef), with lean proteins such as fish (salmon, tilapia, tuna, mackerel), beans, tofu, soy milk and edamame.

Fire Fighters – Herbs & Spices

Herbs and spices have natural anti-inflammatory properties and are anti-microbial.  Incorporate herbs and spices like curry, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, rosemary, chive, basil and garlic.  Garlic has no odor until you cut it, because when you cut garlic it produces allicin which keeps cancer cells from multiplying.  So before using garlic, chop it up and let it be exposed to the air for a few minutes.

A big myth is that healthy foods cost much more to eat than unhealthy foods, but Sheila (a woman in the audience who ate only from Dr. Oz’s anti-cancer grocery list) said that she didn’t spend any more money using anti-cancer superfoods.

We also need to rethink how to plate our food.  Half of your plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits.  1/4 of your plate should be proteins and another 1/4 of your plate should be whole grains.  Plus, Dr. Oz is giving us a little sliver on the plate for some healthy treats like nuts and dark chocolate!  So what are some good examples of healthy plates?  Try some of these options:

- 1 cup of greens, 1 cup of broccoli, 1 tomato, 1 orange, 1 cup of strawberries
- 1 egg, 1/2 cup beans, sardines, 3.5 ounce salmon (omega 3 fats are delicate so grill it gently or steam it… don’t cook salmon like chicken and don’t broil it.)
- good fats like olive oil (which has mono-fats that reduce diabetes and adjust insulin levels) or Organic Flax Seed Oil, which gives you extra omega 3’s
- for the special treat section of your plate, try 1/2 cup nuts (12 walnuts), or 1 oz of dark chocolate.  Nuts, like walnuts, are high in minerals, calcium and have lots of antioxidants.  Other good nuts include pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, and flaxseed.

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