5 Things You Need to Know About Cancer and Chinese Diet

People in China Consume Antioxidant-Rich Foods at Every Meal
You probably know people who eat a bacon-egg-and-cheese roll for breakfast, a burger and fries for lunch and a few slices of pepperoni pizza for dinner. In most regions of China, however, the staples are rice and fresh, locally grown vegetables–the best foods from which to get those sought-after antioxidants that help ward off diseases like cancer.

Chinese Meals Don’t Revolve Around Meat
Regular consumption of animal foods has been linked to a higher incidence of cancers of the liver, breast and prostate. In many areas of China, the risk for these cancers are low–and so is the intake of animal foods.

Got Milk?
Not if you live in China. In fact, with the exception of those living in some of the most northern regions of China, dairy foods are practically unheard of. Is this significant? Maybe so. Researchers at the University of Oxford recently discovered a possible link between dairy food consumption and the development of prostate cancer. And it has been long hypothesized that there is an association between intake of dairy foods, which tend to be high in saturated fat and growth hormones, and breast cancer. Breast and prostate cancers are much more prevalent among Westerners.

Different Region, Different Cancers
The China Project–a comprehensive study by Cornell University's Dr. T. Colin Campbell that surveyed diet and disease rates in various parts of China–revealed that in the areas where diets mimicked those in the West, the rates of certain cancers were higher. Liver cancer, for instance, was shown to be rife in more urbanized areas, where animal food intake was high. Cancers of the stomach are often seen among those residing in rural areas, the causes of which are not yet understood.

Chinatown is not the Same as China
Order virtually any nonvegetarian dish in your local Chinese restaurant and you’re bound to find it laden with fat, sodium, calories and few vegetables. In China, fat intake is quite low and animal foods like pork and eggs are more like delicacies. So, serve yourself a colorful plate full of steamed vegetables, brown rice and legumes.