Forks Over Knives on Dr. Oz: 5 Foods that Cut Cancer Risk

Update: Here it is! Forks Over Knives on the Dr. Oz show from Wednesday April 27, 2011:

Can't seem to make the embed code work,
but here are links to a couple of segments:

5 Foods that Cut Cancer Risk, Part 1
(studio audience testimonials)

5 Foods that Cut Cancer Risk, Part 2
(Rip Esselstyn and what you CAN eat)

For all those naysayer who think vegans are unhealthy, I dunno - these guys look pretty freakin healthy to me.

For those who are interested, here's the Forks Over Knives movie trailer and a link to the theaters it's opening in:



If you missed the filmmakers of Forks Over Knives on Dr. Oz yesterday, here are the highlights:

Offered up by Colin Campbell (The China Study), Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease), Neal Barnard (21-Day Kickstart), Rip Esselstyn (The Engine 2 Diet), and Lee Fulkerson (FOK Writer & Director), the key to preventing or reversing cancer, heart disease and Type II Diabetes is this nutritionary overhaul:

Avoid:

1) Meat. All meat — even fish and eggs. If it has parents or a face, don’t eat it. Get your protein from beans - pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, etc. Beans also contain soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol.

Whole grains, such as quinoa, amaranth and millet are also good sources of protein. Nuts, including walnuts, pistachios and almonds are all high in protein. You can also get protein from vegetables. Broccoli is 30% protein in addition to containing highly absorbable calcium. Win!

2) Dairy. That means no cheese, yogurt, etc. Believe it or not, meat isn’t the highest source of bad fat - that title goes to dairy! Additionally, casein, a protein found in milk, has been linked to the growth rate of cancer.

You can give up dairy without depleting your supplies of calcium, potassium and vitamin D by eating more leafy green vegetables (collards, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli) for calcium and fruit (like oranges and bananas) for potassium. Soy, almond, rice and oat milk can also be fortified with vitamin D, and they are lower in saturated fat than dairy milk.

3) ALL processed food. Processed foods are stripped of nutrients and injected with sugar, salt and trans-fats - the triple threat that leads to obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Swap out these health saboteurs in favor of whole grains, including bread, pasta and seeds. Ditch processed sweets for fresh fruits and enjoy as much as you like!

Sadly even vegetable oils, like olive oil, can be highly processed. But it's a great excuse to get more creative with your cooking and experiment with lemon and lime juices, vinegar and spices. This was a tough one for me and I'm still working on it, but I have tried stir-frying things in water or veggie broth and it actually works pretty well. Also, plant-based foods contain natural oils, so added oils aren’t really necessary during cooking.

On a more positive note, the guys offered up the 5 most important foods to have in your kitchen:

1) Nutritional yeast. It's your healthiest bet for a cheese substitute that isn’t loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol. Also a great source of B12 and packs a 51% protein punch. As an added bonus, it's loaded with dietary fiber, which may help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Use it as a pizza topping, on lasagna, salads, steamed broccoli, cauliflower and even popcorn - anywhere you're dying to add some cheese! Here are some great recipes that feature this wonderstuff.

2) Freeze-dried strawberries. Ohio State University released a study showing that freeze-dried strawberries may actually prevent esophageal cancer. Freeze-dried are even better than regular strawberries because they pack 10-times the antioxidants. How do you not love that? Look for no-sugar-added options at health stores. Or, if you're super ambitious, you can make your own.

3) Rhubarb. Baking or boiling it will maximize the benefits. A recent study from Sheffield, England shows that rhubarb cooked for 20 minutes dramatically increases its levels of polyphenols, which are known cancer-fighting chemicals. Interestingly enough, rhubarb is not a fruit but a vegetable; the greens are actually poisonous, so stick with the stem! It's great with strawberries or even in scones.

4) Escalrole - These leafy greens are teeming with everything that will help you to fight cancer and make you healthy: water, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals all come to the rescue to take your health to the next level. Escarole is great to use in your salad and has actually been shown to help prevent ovarian cancer.

5) You're gonna love this: Dairy-free Banana "Ice-Cream" - stick some frozen bananas in a blender with a little water and vanilla extract and Voila! Have an actual ice-cream maker? Try this recipe. Extra bonus: bananas are known to prevent kidney cancer.

Anyone have any great recipes featuring these Fab Five? If so, please share!