Written by Lori Bumbaco, MS, RDN, CSO, LDN, Oncology Dietitian
Tiny bites and big benefits to be found in veggies!
If you ask any nutrition expert, one of the most significant ways to promote wellness is to include more vegetables in your overall diet. Eating more vegetables is helpful to reduce the risk of weight gain, being overweight, and obesity. Managing our weight helps to minimize the risk of 13 different types of cancer. Fiber helps reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, and vegetables are a guaranteed way to eat more fiber! Eating more vegetables is also associated with protection against head, neck, and esophageal cancers.
There are several reasons why vegetables rank so high nutritionally, including their antioxidant properties, association with weight management, and unique properties to fight the cancer process.
Antioxidants have the ability to prevent our cells from becoming damaged and potentially transforming them into cancerous ones. We can not rely on any and every vegetable to provide antioxidant protection, but we can maximize their benefits when we consume a variety.
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring plant compounds that are responsible for imparting color, aroma, and flavor to vegetables. They possess unique properties that support our immune system, and have impressive abilities to block carcinogens, reduce inflammation, tell cancer cells to die off, and block hormones like estrogen from binding to cell receptors.
Fiber is an under-consumed nutrient in the American diet, which may partly be explained by the fact that only 1 in 10 Americans eats the recommended amount of vegetables per day. Fiber has many healthful properties and occurs in a wide variety of plant foods. There are several types of fiber that all offer cancer protection in some form. Fiber helps us to stay regular and speeds the passage of substances that might otherwise spur cancer growth. Some fibers serve as fuel for the beneficial microbes that live in our lower digestive tract. The microbes ferment fibers and produce a substance called butyrate that triggers cancer cell death. Fiber also supports a healthy gut microbiome, which may help lower inflammation.
Hopefully, you are convinced that eating more vegetables is an important step as part of an overall healthy diet. But you might be wondering how you can get started to eat more. One of the easiest ways to add more vegetables is to take what you are currently eating and find opportunities to include vegetables. For example, if you enjoy eggs or scrambled tofu for breakfast, could you add spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, and/or mushrooms to the meal? If you make a smoothie, could you add baby greens, carrots, or even cauliflower to the blender? If you snack on pretzels with hummus, can you slice some bell peppers to include them? If you make marinara or enjoy a pasta dish, could you add a vegetable or more to the recipe?
Incorporating more vegetables into daily meals can play an important role in cancer nutrition and recovery. Vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber that help support the immune system, maintain strength, aid digestion, and promote overall healing. Even small increases in vegetable intake can make a meaningful difference in nourishing the body and supporting recovery.