Shopping for the Cancer Cure

Citrus fruits are also great to start the day. Oranges, tangerines and clementines contain cancer fighters called hesperidin and naringenin. They’re found in the juice, so go ahead and drink refreshing fresh-squeezed citrus juice, which researchers have shown can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer. But, did you know that the cancer fighters are concentrated in the peel, too? One handy tool to have in your kitchen is a zester. Zesting an orange is not only a super way to add flavor to your food anytime of the day, but it’s healthy, too. 

Tip: If you are concerned about pesticides that accumulate in the skin of fruit, you might want to buy organic fruits to zest.  And always wash the fruit well before zesting it.

Fish and Seafood Section

Yes, salmon is a healthy choice, but if you look carefully at what’s on ice, you’ll find another cancer fighting seafood: Squid. Also called calamari, squid contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are not only heart healthy, but they also are antiangiogenic and can starve cancer cells.  Diets high in seafood like squid are known to reduce the risk of breast cancer.  While we’ve all enjoyed crispy fried calamari at restaurants, deep frying is not the healthiest way to cook squid, and it loads the dish with calories. The better way is to sauté the squid in a pan. Cook it in a stainless pan, with a little bit of garlic (also contains cancer-fighting alliin) and olive oil (more on this later).

Tip: At the store, ask for the cleaned squid (skin and tentacles removed), so that all you have to do at home is to cut it up into rings. Squid cooks super fast, in just a few minutes. 

Cooking Oils

Olive oil is considered in many parts of the world to be liquid gold. It contains cancer-fighting polyphenols, which actually give the oil its unique taste. The stronger the flavor of the oil, the higher the level of its polyphenols. Store your olive oil in a dark container, because, over time, light degrades the oil, and lowers the polyphenol levels. There are three “super olives” which contain exceptionally high levels of these natural substances:  1) The Picual olive, used in Spanish olive oil; 2) the Moriaolo olive, from Umbria, Italy; and 3) the Koroneiki olive, a Greek olive. If you can find them, get olive oil made with one of these types of olives.