Not really – the healthy diet that helps to protect against cancer is similar to that which is recommended to help reduce risk of other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The only specific difference is that for reducing risk of bowel cancer there is a recommendation to avoid processed meat and limit red meat consumption. Some studies have also linked these factors to heart disease but the evidence is not as strong as for bowel cancer. So the diet recommended above is not only good for reducing cancer risk but also for risk of other diseases. There is not strong evidence that particular foods (sometimes misleadingly called “superfoods”) can help reduce risk of cancer or of other chronic diseases, by themselves.
- What is a healthy diet?
- Is there a specific anti-cancer diet?
- What foods and nutrients affect the risk of cancer?
- Is a variety of plant foods important, and what does “a variety” mean?
- How much is “plenty” of plant foods?
- What does “wholegrain” mean?
- What about oils, nuts, and seeds?
- What is meant by “red meat” and “processed meat”?
- What is meant by “sugary drinks”?
- What is meant by “fatty and sugary foods”
- What about “fast foods”?
- What about canned, dried, and frozen foods?
- How can I reduce my intake of salt? Which foods have a high salt content?
- How do I reduce my calorie intake to have a healthy body weight?
- How much can I reduce my risk of cancer by adopting a healthy diet?
- I have been diagnosed with cancer. Will eating a healthy diet be beneficial to me?
- Does taking dietary supplements reduce my risk of cancer?