Cancer prevention diet tip #2: Bulk up on fiber
Cancer prevention diet tip #2 – Bulk up on fiberAnother benefit of eating plant-based foods is that it will also increase your fiber intake. Fiber, also called roughage or bulk, is the part of plants (grains, fruits, and vegetables) that your body can’t digest. Fiber plays a key role in keeping your digestive system clean and healthy. It helps keep food moving through your digestive tract, and it also moves cancer-causing compounds out before they can create harm.
Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber. There is no fiber in meat, dairy, sugar, or “white” foods like white bread, white rice, and pastries.
Simple ways to add more fiber to your diet:
Use brown rice instead of white rice
Substitute whole-grain bread for white bread
Choose a bran muffin over a croissant or pastry
Snack on popcorn instead of potato chips
Eat fresh fruit such as a pear, a banana, or an apple (with the skin)
Have a baked potato, including the skin, instead of mashed potatoes
Enjoy fresh carrots, celery, or bell peppers with a hummus or salsa, instead of chips and a sour cream dip
Use beans instead of ground meat in chili, casseroles, tacos, and even burgers (bean burgers can taste great)
High-fiber, cancer-fighting foods
Whole grains
whole-wheat pasta, raisin bran, barley, oatmeal, oat bran muffins, popcorn, brown rice, whole-grain or whole-wheat bread
Fruit
raspberries, apples, pears, strawberries, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, mango, apricots, citrus fruits, dried fruit, prunes, raisins
Legumes
lentils, black beans, split peas, lima beans, baked beans, kidney beans, pinto, chick peas, navy beans, black-eyed peas
Vegetables
broccoli, spinach, dark green leafy vegetables, peas, artichokes, corn, carrots, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, potatoes
