Vegetables, fruits, grains and soybeans can help you prevent cancer. When you eat colorful fruits and vegetables, such as apricots, broccoli, oranges, squash, cabbage, peaches and spinach, you are arming yourself with cancer fighting power. Vitamin C has been shown to lower risk of cancer of the mouth, lung and colon. Vitamin C prevents nitrates from forming cancerous compounds in the stomach. It also reduces the risk of cataracts.
Vitamin E provides anti-oxidant activity in cell membranes.
The bright colors of fruits and vegetables host another group of anti-oxidants called carotenoids. Beta-carotene is the best known, but lycopene, in tomatoes, also has been shown to reduce risk of prostate cancer. Called phytochemicals, these plentiful compounds inhibit tumor growth, increase enzymes that detoxify carcinogens, decrease cell proliferation, alter estrogen metabolism and maintain normal DNA repair. For instance, cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts, contain indoles, which combat estrogen-related breast cancer. The iosthiocynates in these foods stimulate enzymes that reduce carcinogens.