Anti-cancer key found in anthocyanin-rich foods

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States…

And for survivors, it can leave them reeling from the chemotherapy, radiation and surgery used to fight it.

That’s why when it comes to this deadly disease, your focus MUST be on preventing it from the start…

Luckily, a study from the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute has revealed the power of including the right foods in your diet to stop colon cancer in its tracks.

Purple veggies kept cancer cells from spreading

The researchers fed pigs three different diets, supplementing purple-fleshed potatoes for those fed a high-fat diet. Apparently, the pig digestive system is more similar to the human digestive system than that of mice.

The scientists found that the pigs that were served a high-calorie diet supplemented with purple-fleshed potatoes had less colonic mucosal interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared to the other groups. IL-6 is a protein that is important in inflammation and linked to the spread and growth of cancer cells.

In fact, IL-6 levels were six times lower in pigs that ate the purple potato-enhanced feed compared to the control group. Researchers used both uncooked and baked potatoes and found similar effects.

The scientists pointed out that anti-IL-6 drugs are currently used against certain types of rheumatoid arthritis and are being considered to treat other inflammation-promoted chronic diseases like colon cancer. However, these drugs are expensive and can cause many side effects, including drug tolerance.

Yet, they were able to cut down on the cancer-causing protein using natural, whole foods rather than a pill.

And, while the researchers used purple potatoes in this study, they said that other colorful fruits and vegetables could lead to similar effects. That’s because colorful plants, like the purple potato, contain bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins and phenolic acids that have been linked to cancer prevention.

Eating for reduced cancer risk

Anthocyanins are flavonoids that are amazing antioxidants. They are so powerful that tests have shown they can yield twice the antioxidant power of vitamin C. And if you know anything about the triple miracle of vitamin C, that’s saying a lot!

Another great benefit of anthocyanins is that they’re easy to recognize. Since they give fruits and vegetables, their blue-violet and red-orange colors, you can tell whether your food contains these little powerhouses with just a glance at your plate.

So it’s a complete no-brainer to eat more anthocyanin-containing foods if you aim to reduce your chances of developing colon cancer. Some of the top foods rich in anthocyanin include:

• Berries — Blueberries blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, elderberries, cranberries, bilberries and any other blue, purple or red-skinned berries are all rich sources of anthocyanins.
• Cherries — Tart cherries contain more anthocyanins than sweet berries, and darker berries contain more than lighter varieties.
• Purple grapes — These tasty treats are not only a great source of anthocyanins but also of resveratrol, another powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
• Red Cabbage — There are over 36 different kinds of anthocyanins in red cabbage.

Other great sources include

• Eggplant
• Purple Asparagus
• Pomegranates
• Kidney Beans
• Black Beans
• Red Onions
• Oranges
• Sweet Potatoes
• Beets

If you’ve had colon cancer, adding more of these foods to your diet may also give you the best chance at keeping it from coming back, too…

Previous research has shown that stage 3 colon cancer patients who continued following a Western diet heavy on meat, fat, refined grains and sugar had as much as a threefold increase in recurrence and death than patients who switched to a diet heavy in fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry.