The cancer-protective health benefits of dietary antioxidants is not proven but may be helpful in destroying free radicals created through cell oxidation. Free radicals can damage the DNA in cells, which can lead to cancer. Substances in food, such as the vitamins A, C and E, lycopene and selenium may have antioxidant benefits.
Vitamins A and C
These antioxidant vitamins are found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is found mostly in citrus fruits but also in strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and green and red bell peppers. Vitamin A can be found in orange vegetables like butternut squash, sweet potatoes and carrots, as well as mango, papaya, apricots, peaches, kale and spinach. It's important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day to reap the health benefits they provide. The American Cancer Society recommends a minimum of five daily servings. Try ½ cup or 1 medium-sized piece of fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit, ½ cup of cooked or raw vegetables or 1 cup of lettuce, which all equal one serving.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also an important antioxidant vitamin, helping support a healthy immune system. It may also help protect the body against heart disease. Mostly found in nuts, seeds, nut and seed oils and vegetable oils, vitamin E can also be found in peanut butter, spinach, broccoli, kiwis, mangoes and tomatoes. Vitamin E requires fat for digestion, so people with digestive disorders, like Crohn's disease, may need a water-soluble version.
Lycopene
This substance is also important in the destruction of free radicals. Tomatoes are the most popular source of lycopene, but it can also be found in watermelon, papaya, apricots, guava, blood oranges and pink grapefruit. The Cancer Cure Foundation notes that cooking tomatoes helps to the lycopene become more concentrated, to incorporate extra lycopene into each bite.
Selenium
This powerful cancer-protective mineral is readily found in most wheat, rice and meats, derived from the soil the plants were grown in that were harvested for either human or animal consumption. Brazil nuts are also a source of selenium. The risk of prostate cancer, in particular, may be halted through adequate selenium intake. The National Institutes of Health recommends 55 mcg per day for adults, which can be easily met through eating just one Brazil nut.
