What Vegetables Are Good For Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer accounts for more than 32,000 deaths annually in the United States. Other than skin cancer, it is the most common cancer in American men. The causes of the disease are not fully understood, but high-fat diets appear to be a risk factor. Though further research is needed, the American Cancer Society says that a diet low in red meats and dairy products and high in fruits and vegetables can help win the battle against prostate cancer.

Tomatoes

Lycopene -- one of the strongest antioxidants in nature -- blocks free radicals, oxygen molecules that can damage cells. Unlike many substances, lycopene has the ability to reach the prostate. Tomatoes have a high concentration of lycopene, along with guava, apricots and pink grapefruit. According to Drs. Pamela Ellsworth and John Heaney, authors of "100 Questions & Answers About Prostate Cancer," of 72 observational studies on tomato intake and prostate cancer incidence, tomato consumption was linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer in 57, with 35 of those studies indicating a statistically significant reduction. Eating cooked tomatoes with small amounts of olive oil seems to enhance the absorption of lycopene by the intestines. While it can't hurt to eat foods made with cooked tomatoes, the American Cancer Society cautions that further long-term clinical studies are necessary to confirm if lycopene-rich tomatoes can, in fact, decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

Spinach

Vegetables that are members of the cruciferous, or cabbage, family appear to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells. Gamma-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E abundant in spinach, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, especially for current or recent smokers. According to Dr. Peter Scardino, chairman of the Department of Urology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and author of "Dr. Peter Scardino's Prostate Book," a large Finnish study found that male smokers who consumed moderate amounts of vitamin E were less likely to develop prostate cancer and had a lower rate of dying from cancers that did develop. However, more scientific research needs to be performed.

Sugar Beets and Peas

Pectin, a natural sugar and dietary fiber known for its jam-setting qualities and found in sugar beets and peas, seems to kill cancer cells. According to a study reported in an August 2008 article of "Science Daily," a diet rich in pectin-containing vegetables may inhibit galectin 3, a protein that hastens cancer progression. University of Georgia cancer researcher and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology Debra Mohnen found that exposing prostate cancer cells to pectin decreased the amount of cancer cells by 40 percent. Mohnen says that more research is needed but adds, "Even though we hear constantly that we're supposed to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, it wasn't until we started working on these studies that it finally hit home how really important that was."

Carrots

Carrots contain beta-carotene -- the best known of a group of pigments called carotenoids that are stored in the liver and converted into vitamin A. Early animal studies indicated that consuming foods rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots, could inhibit certain cancers, including prostate cancer. However, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, a 2007 study conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, found that high beta-carotene levels were linked with aggressive prostate cancer. Thus, the jury is still out on whether carrots help or hurt prostate cancer patients.