Here is yet another example of why your mother was doing the right thing when she told you to eat your veggies. A new, substantial study out of Sweden reports that the incidence of stomach cancer in those men and women who consumed three or more servings a week of root vegetables and green leafy vegetables was up to 57% lower!
Stomach cancer (which is also referred to as gastric cancer) is a prevalent cancer worldwide, accounting for approximately 800,000 new cancer diagnoses every year. Stomach cancer risk is higher for men and especially for men who drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. A diet high in salty and picked foods is also believed to increase the stomach cancer risk.
The researchers followed over 45,000 men and over 35,000 women for a period of seven years. The people who ate three or more servings per week of green leafy vegetables (such as spinach) finished the study with a 46% lower risk of stomach cancer. Root-vegetable eaters reduced their risk of gastric cancer by 57%.
General vegetable consumption in the range of 2.5 servings per day accounted for a 44% lower stomach cancer risk. However, persons who preferred to eat fruit instead of vegetables did not garner any significant benefits.
Adding vegetables to your diet doesn’t have to be difficult. To add more root vegetables to your weekly routine to help reduce your risk of gastric cancer, try grabbing a handful of baby carrots or radishes for a snack. Or, the next time you’re craving French fries on your way past the drive-thru fast-food joint, just toss some strips of sweet potato in the oven and bake them up instead.
And, with the seasons changing, now’s the perfect time of year to enjoy roasted root vegetables. Try roasting a medley of turnip, beets, carrots, and other vegetables, and adding them to a salad for a seasonal treat. Or, you can whip them up in a blender with some broth for a creamy vegetable soup.
With what seems like a new study coming out every day touting the advantages of a diet high in fruits and vegetables, there’s really no excuse for not eating at least a few servings of each daily.