Fighting Cancer: The Best Foods to Add to Your Diet

Author

Dr. Li
January 21, 2025

Now, back to my regular YouTube roundup - I recently shared a list of powerful foods with cancer-fighting properties. Ready to dive in?

🎯 Pop Quiz

When bioactives in food can cut off the blood supply to tumors, what is that process called?

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1. Walnuts (18:13)

Let me introduce you to one of my go-to snacks: walnuts. They’re packed with compounds that help keep our brains sharp and our cells in check. Walnuts contain ellagitannins, a bioactive compound that our gut bacteria convert into urolithins. These amazing little molecules help block the blood supply that tumors need to grow.

Dr. Li’s Pro Tips:

  • Toasting Boosts Flavor: Heat a dry pan, toss in some walnuts, and toast for a couple of minutes until they’re fragrant (but not burnt!).

  • Breakfast Hero: Sprinkle walnuts over your oatmeal or whole fat Greek yogurt, and toss in some dried cranberries or fresh fruit for sweetness.

  • Walnut Pesto Upgrade: Swap pine nuts for walnuts in your pesto recipe for a tasty, nutrient-packed twist.

2. Green Tea (29:37)

Ah, green tea—the original "food as medicine." This drink is loaded with catechins, especially EGCG. In my research, EGCG has been shown to cut off blood supply to tumors—a process called anti-angiogenesis. When tumors can’t grow their own blood vessels, they stay small and harmless.

And let’s not forget: drinking green tea is also just a calming ritual. In Japan, they even blend it with jasmine for a floral twist. Matcha takes green tea to another level by using powdered leaves for a bioactive boost.

Dr. Li’s Pro Tips:

  • Make it Routine: Swap your second cup of coffee for a cup of green tea. Bonus: it’s gentle on your stomach and helps your whole GI tract.

  • Try Matcha: Want the full blast of bioactives? Whisk up some matcha—it’s like drinking the whole tea leaf.

  • Go Iced: Don’t love hot tea? Brew green tea, chill it, and add lemon slices for a refreshing, cancer-fighting iced tea.

3. Broccoli & More (35:14)

Now let’s talk about the ultimate vegetable family: cruciferous vegetables—like broccoli, cauliflower, and bok choy. These foods are rich in sulforaphane, a compound that cranks up our body’s defenses against abnormal cells. And here’s the kicker: the broccoli stem has twice as much of the good stuff as the florets. Don’t toss it—slice it up and cook it!

Cruciferous veggies also support your liver and may reduce the risk of several cancers, including colon, stomach, and esophageal.

Dr. Li’s Pro Tips:

  • Stem Power: Peel the tough outer layer of broccoli stems, slice them diagonally, and sauté with a little garlic and olive oil. It’s delicious and doubles your sulforaphane intake.

  • Mix It Up: Add bok choy to your stir-fries or steam cauliflower as a low-carb alternative to rice or mashed potatoes.

  • Raw Boost: Eating broccoli raw? Add a little mustard or radish—they contain an enzyme that boosts sulforaphane absorption.

Watch the video for more tips and research on how food can fight against cancer:

 

Love your food to love your health,
— Dr. William Li