Many kinds of vegetables contain protective phytochemicals that may help your body eliminate cancer-causing agents or carcinogens, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Your body gets these harmful chemicals through the consumption of certain foods and when you are exposured to environmental toxins and radiation. Carcinogens can build up in the body's cells and cause cellular damage, which is considered a critical initiating event in cancer development.
Cauliflower
Glucosinolates, naturally occurring sulfur-containing compounds in cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, have been reported to prevent cancer by minimizing the influence of cancer-causing substances, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State University. Glucosinolates may actually work on cancer cells through the regulation of cell cycling and induction of apoptosis, which is a normal physiological process by which your body get rids of unwanted cells, including cancer cells.
Tomato
Lycopene, a red pigment found in raw tomatoes, may help cut your risk of developing certain kinds of cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer, according to the University of Michigan Health System website. Lycopene acts as an estrogen antagonist, which offers some protection against malignancies that are often estrogen dependent.
Garlic
Garlic is claimed to help prevent cancer, particularly cancer of the stomach and colon, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The anti-tumor effects of garlic are largely attributed to its sulfur-containing compounds, including alliin and allicin. These sulfur compounds block or eliminate cell-damaging free radicals and therefore inhibit the cancer process.
