Fruit, vegetables, and cancer risk:
A study which looked at the relationship between intake of vegetables and fruit and its effect on the risk of cancer. A literature review of 206 human studies and 22 animal studies was conducted. Results of the literature review show that a high consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of human cancer at a number of common sites including stomach, esophagus, lung, oral cavity and pharynx, endometrium, pancreas, and colon. The types of vegetables or fruit found to be most protective against cancer are raw vegetables, followed by allium vegetables (onion, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage), and tomatoes. The recommendation is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in general (e.g., “five a day”). (35)