Think 5-a-Day Keeps Cancer Away? Think Again

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In summary, the conversation discusses the impact of fruits and vegetables on reducing cancer risk. A recent study showed that the association between fruit and vegetable intake and reduced cancer risk is weak, and a healthy diet and lifestyle can also increase the chances of dying from cancer. Juicing organic fruits and vegetables is recommended, as non-organic produce may contain harmful pesticides. However, it is important to note that juicing may result in the loss of some cleansing properties. Ultimately, consuming fruits and vegetables in their natural form is beneficial for overall health.
  • #1
lisab
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Amazing. Well I happen to like fruits and vegetables so I'll keep eating them.

The international team of researchers estimates only around 2.5% of cancers could be averted by increasing intake (of fruits and vegetables).

It's been drummed into my head nearly all my life that a diet that has lots of fruits and vegetables is protective against cancer (and I assumed that meant a bigger effect than 2.5%).

This latest study, which analysed recruits from 10 countries to the highly-regarded European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, confirms that the association between fruit and vegetable intake and reduced cancer risk is indeed weak.

I thought that was already a known fact!
 
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  • #2
This latest study, which analysed recruits from 10 countries to the highly-regarded European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, confirms that the association between fruit and vegetable intake and reduced cancer risk is indeed weak.
Depends on exactly what they measured.
A healthy diet and healthy lifestyle greatly INCREASES your chances of dying of cancer.

If the choice is dying of a cardio-vascular disease at the age of forty or dying of prostate cancer at the age of 90.
 
  • #3
mgb_phys said:
Depends on exactly what they measured.
A healthy diet and healthy lifestyle greatly INCREASES your chances of dying of cancer.

If the choice is dying of a cardio-vascular disease at the age of forty or dying of prostate cancer at the age of 90.

Ah, interesting...so it's protective from a disease that kills relatively early, thus allowing you to live long enough to die of cancer, haha.

I'd like to see this study follow the cohort longer, to see if there's a difference in life span.
 
  • #4
One of the ironies of modern medicine is that as the health of people improves cancer rates increase.
Ultimately in a perfect health care system everybody would die of things like prostate cancer!
 
  • #5
Although things like smoking obviously increase your risk for developing cancer due to carcinogens, I think other types of cancer may be more inherited, or so it seems.

What is odd about my family is that most relatives on both my mother's and father's sides live into the late 90's and early 100's and there is no known history of cancer ever in either side of the family. I wonder how many people can say that? I wonder how common that is?
 
  • #6
mgb_phys said:
One of the ironies of modern medicine is that as the health of people improves cancer rates increase.
Ultimately in a perfect health care system everybody would die of things like prostate cancer!

I can state unequivocally that no lifestyle would ever cause me to die of prostate cancer.
 
  • #7
It appears that the source has slipped away.
 
  • #8
its better to eat the grub than to eat the spray ?
 
  • #9
It is important to eat fruits and vegetables because it provides health benefits. A person who eats more fruits and vegetables are likely to have little risk of chronic diseases. Fruit and vegetable juice is the ultimate key to giving a brighter, energetic life and truly optimal health. There are micronutrients in fruits and vegetables that are lost when they are heated. Cooking and processing vegetables and fruits destroys some of the important micronutrients by altering their chemical composition.

Fruits and vegetable juice provide our body with more nutrients. Juicing allows you to consume more vegetables than you usually eat. Our body needs the finest nutrient to be healthy. Nutrients are needed by our body too keep our organs healthy too. Though drinking fruit juices and vegetable juices is not a cure to diseases but it will help us to have a healthy lifestyle. It is also good to have a variety of vegetable juice, because by having a spice of vegetables and a variety of fruits you will have an optimum amount of nutrients.

If possible it is good to juice organic fruits and vegetables. Non-organic fruits and vegetables my contain pesticides. So when you juice non-organic fruits and vegetables the tendency is you peel fruits skin in order to remove chemical residue contents in higher concentration. But sadly most of the nutrients are found in the peel of fruits and vegetables.

Fruit juices tastes delectable than vegetable juices; be careful of spicing fruits and vegetable juices, it is better to have fruit juice and vegetable juice separately. Fruits juice is good in cleansing colon. Fruits and vegetables are good colon cleansers and they are easy to digest when eaten, but when you juice fruits and vegetables, some cleansing properties are lost so it is better to eat fruits and vegetables rather than juicing them.
 
  • #10
azenap_jm said:
It is important to eat fruits and vegetables because it provides health benefits. A person who eats more fruits and vegetables are likely to have little risk of chronic diseases. Fruit and vegetable juice is the ultimate key to giving a brighter, energetic life and truly optimal health. There are micronutrients in fruits and vegetables that are lost when they are heated. Cooking and processing vegetables and fruits destroys some of the important micronutrients by altering their chemical composition.
All of this I agree with, and is true. Though, keep in mind that many processing plants will add nutrients to canned goods to "enrich" them and replace those destroyed by the canning process itself.

Fruits and vegetable juice provide our body with more nutrients. Juicing allows you to consume more vegetables than you usually eat. Our body needs the finest nutrient to be healthy. Nutrients are needed by our body too keep our organs healthy too. Though drinking fruit juices and vegetable juices is not a cure to diseases but it will help us to have a healthy lifestyle. It is also good to have a variety of vegetable juice, because by having a spice of vegetables and a variety of fruits you will have an optimum amount of nutrients.
This you're going to need to provide some evidence to support. Most of juice is water. There's no reason that the juice of a fruit would have more nutrients than the fruit itself. Many of the nutrients would be left behind in the non-juice portion.

If possible it is good to juice organic fruits and vegetables. Non-organic fruits and vegetables my contain pesticides. So when you juice non-organic fruits and vegetables the tendency is you peel fruits skin in order to remove chemical residue contents in higher concentration. But sadly most of the nutrients are found in the peel of fruits and vegetables.
Unfortunately, the reality is that our population size has long ago surpassed the ability to sustain our population on "organic" agriculture. I understand the concern about pesticices, but they are a necessary evil in order to ensure a sufficient food supply for the population we have. To allow insect and fungus damage to crops in the absence of pesticides would leave our population rather hungry.

Fruit juices tastes delectable than vegetable juices; be careful of spicing fruits and vegetable juices, it is better to have fruit juice and vegetable juice separately. Fruits juice is good in cleansing colon. Fruits and vegetables are good colon cleansers and they are easy to digest when eaten, but when you juice fruits and vegetables, some cleansing properties are lost so it is better to eat fruits and vegetables rather than juicing them.
There's no reason that fruit and vegetable juices need to be kept separate. In fact, one of the important aspects of a balanced diet is consuming all of the nutrients together so that those that are required for utilization of others are present at the same time. It is a complete myth that people need "colon cleansers." There are plenty of good reasons to eat your fruits and veggies without needing to resort to mythology.
 

1. What is the relationship between consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and cancer prevention?

The concept of "5-a-Day" refers to the recommendation by health organizations to consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day for optimal health. Research has shown that following this recommendation can decrease the risk of certain types of cancer due to the high nutrient and antioxidant content found in these foods.

2. Is there scientific evidence to support the claim that "5-a-Day keeps cancer away"?

Yes, there have been numerous studies that have shown a positive correlation between consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and a decreased risk of cancer. However, it is important to note that a healthy diet and lifestyle includes a variety of factors, and solely consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables may not guarantee cancer prevention.

3. Are all fruits and vegetables equally beneficial in preventing cancer?

No, different fruits and vegetables contain different types and amounts of nutrients and antioxidants, which may have varying effects on cancer prevention. It is important to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables in order to reap the full benefits.

4. Can consuming more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day further decrease the risk of cancer?

While consuming more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day may provide additional health benefits, there is no conclusive evidence that it can further decrease the risk of cancer. It is important to maintain a balanced and varied diet in order to reap the most benefits.

5. Are there any risks associated with consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?

In general, consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is considered safe and beneficial for overall health. However, individuals with certain medical conditions or on certain medications may need to consult with their doctor before drastically increasing their fruit and vegetable intake. Additionally, consuming too much of one type of fruit or vegetable may lead to nutrient imbalances, so it is important to vary the types of fruits and vegetables consumed.

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