Even the food we eat may be another unsuspected cause of cancer. “Studies suggest that certain foods and some nutrients contained in those foods may be associated with the development of cancer. Findings suggest that a high intake of dietary fat is a risk factor for cancer. . . .

“Scientists have found some relationship between a lack of certain vitamins​—A and C—​and cancer. For example, diets low in vitamin A have been linked to cancers of the prostate gland, cervix, skin, bladder and colon.”​—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

One curious example is that of aflatoxin, “a product of the fungus Aspergillus flavus that commonly contaminates peanuts and other staple carbohydrate foods stored in hot and humid climates.” According to Drs. Doll and Peto, it “is a major factor in the production of liver cancer in certain tropical countries.”

After Cause and Effect​—What Next?

The fact of the matter is that there are at least 200 different types of cancer with many distinct or interrelated causes. In some cases, the causes are still not known for sure. Chemicals used in food, as well as industrial pollutants, have been pinpointed as possible causes.

Can Diet Make a Difference?

Is it possible that some of the food we eat could trigger cancer? The book Malignant Neglect states: “The high rates of colon and breast cancer in the United States have been attributed in good part to diet.” So, what you eat over the years can influence the possibilities of a cancer being initiated. Thus the person interested in good health should be discriminating in what he or she eats and drinks.

Diet also includes the liquid intake. Since alcohol abuse can lead to various cancers, the obvious counsel is to drink only in moderation. But what do the doctors consider to be “moderation”? The answer may surprise many who believe they are moderate drinkers: “Two or fewer drinks a day, especially if you smoke.” (Diet, Nutrition & Cancer Prevention) By this definition, if you take more than two drinks a day, in this cancer-prevention context, you are no longer moderate.

The vital point is that we can do something about cancer if we individually take preventive action. But what is needed for preventive measures to have an impact on the public? Cancer surgeon Blake Cady put it bluntly: “A public education program that would . . . wean people off high-fat meats toward lower fat, toward lower-cholesterol diets, would do more than medicine will ever do by intervention to lower the cancer rate.” (Target: Cancer) In that case, what foods can help stave off cancer?

One government health agency recommends that your diet should provide at least 25-35 grams (about one ounce) of natural fiber a day. This helps to keep the intestines naturally cleaned. But how do you get fiber in your food? Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, peas, beans, and whole-grain bread and cereals. Eat foods such as potatoes, apples, pears, and peaches with their skins on. Vegetables from the cabbage family may also reduce risk of colon cancer.

Another recommendation is to avoid animal fats. Poultry and fish are recommended over red meat. If you do choose meat, then make sure it has little fat on it or in it. Choose low-fat or skim-milk dairy products. Include foods that contain vitamins A and C, such as the dark green leafy vegetables​—broccoli, kale, spinach, chicory, watercress, beets, and even dandelion greens! Another good food color revealing vitamins A and C is yellow-orange: vegetables​—carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash; fruits​—apricots, cantaloupes, papayas, peaches, pineapples, and melons, to name just a few.

Diet, Nutrition & Cancer Prevention also states: “The evidence is growing that eating too much fat (both saturated and unsaturated) may increase your chances of getting cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, and endometrium [lining of the uterus].” Then what is the conclusion? That your diet can make a difference in many cancers.