According to the media, we're in the grip of a global cancer epidemic. Some 20m people worldwide live with the disease in one form or another -- a figure medical experts predict is set to rise by 50% over the next 20 years. There's no failsafe treatment and no way of knowing exactly who it will affect, but recent research suggests that nutrition can help limit the risk of cancer.
Superfood is the latest buzzword on the lips of nutritionists and health experts. Cited by professionals as wonder foods that can help limit the cellular damage that could otherwise develop into disease. Perhaps food manufacturers should be looking at producing products that encompass more of these superfoods.
What constitutes a superfood varies slightly from expert to expert but, by and large, the line-up goes like this:
Green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, kale and spinach, are packed with antioxidants which our bodies need to mop up free radicals (harmful oxygen cells) before they can damage body cells and cause cancer.
Tomatoes are also stuffed with lycopene, an antioxidant, cited in studies as reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Levels of lycopene are even higher in cooked tomatoes than raw, which means products such as ketchup, fresh and canned tomatoes, tomato-based pasta sauces and pizza toppings may have added cancer fighting benefits.
Olive oil is another superfood. Not only lauded for its high levels of mono-unsaturated fat, which lowers 'bad' cholesterol, it is another source of antioxidants, including vitamin E.
Oily fish contains omega-3 fish oils and the mineral selenium which also help our bodies to combat oxidant damage to cells. And chickpeas are full of soluble fibre, thought to protect against bowel cancer, in particular.
When it comes to antioxidant-rich fruit, blueberries beat most other fruit hands down. Research suggests eating citrus fruits regularly could reduce the risk of mouth, throat and stomach cancers by 40-50%.
There are enough superfoods out there to give plenty of scope for variety. The long-term positive effects on general health and well-being make superfoods increasingly significant as potential ingredients.