The connection between diet and cancer is undeniable. What we eat plays a pivotal role in either fueling or fighting this deadly disease. Diets rich in processed foods, red meats, and sugary beverages can increase the risk of certain cancers, while nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats provide antioxidants and compounds that protect cells from damage.
Consider this: every meal is a choice between health and harm. Studies reveal that 30-50% of cancer cases may be preventable through lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet. Isn’t it time to rethink what’s on your plate? Your food choices today could shape your future health.
Shedding light into this matter, a study by researchers from the Monash University have found that dry fruits can help prevent different types of cancer and dementia.
“In this prospective cohort study of adults aged 70 years and over, we found that daily nut consumption was associated with a healthy lifespan, after adjustment of potential confounding factors, which was particularly evident in those with lower-than-optimal diet quality,” the researchers have said.
For the study, the researchers examined 9916 participants from the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons. Participants completed a 49-item Food Frequency questionnaire from which frequency of nut intake was obtained and were asked to categories usual intake as no/infrequent [never/rarely, 1–2 times/month], weekly [1–2 times/week, often 3–6 times/week] or daily [every day or several times a day].
“Research in older aged cohorts (65 years of age and over) have demonstrated that when compared to rare consumption, three or more servings of nuts weekly may lower the risk of CVD mortality, cancer mortality and all-cause mortality,” the researchers have said.
Eating a handful of dry fruits daily can significantly lower the risk of 17 types of cancers, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, dry fruits like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios combat oxidative stress and inflammation, which are key contributors to cancer development.
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Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols that inhibit tumor growth, while almonds and raisins are high in fiber, promoting gut health and reducing colon cancer risk. Including a mix of dry fruits in your diet not only boosts immunity but also serves as a natural, nutrient-packed defense against cancer.
“Our study was able to account for poor oral health and other foods that people usually ate, and after adjusting for these and other factors, eating nuts remained positively associated with a healthy lifespan in later life. Nuts can be a good choice for a snack or as part of a meal, even if your diet might not be optimal in other ways,” said Holly Wild, a PhD candidate, the first author of the study and lecturer from the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
“If you are wanting to incorporate more nuts into your diet, nuts are available in multiple different forms in supermarkets these days, including whole nuts, chopped or crushed nuts, nuts meals, and nut butters or pastes. The latter options may be much more accessible to those with oral health issues, and chopped nuts can be added to salads, cereals and smoothies. However, we do recommend keeping salted nuts, and candied and chocolate covered nuts to a minimum,” she added.