Make wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and pulses (legumes) such as beans and lentils a major part of your usual daily diet.
One of our Cancer Prevention Recommendations is to make wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, and pulses (legumes) such as beans and lentils a major part of your usual daily diet.
There is evidence that eating wholegrains, fibre, vegetables and fruit can help protect against certain cancers, as well as against weight gain, overweight and obesity.
There is strong evidence that eating wholegrains protects against colorectal cancer, and that eating foods containing dietary fibre protects against colorectal cancer and against weight gain, overweight and obesity.
Although the evidence for links between individual cancers and consumption of non-starchy vegetables or fruit is limited, the pattern of association and the direction of effect are both consistent. Overall the evidence is more persuasive of a protective effect and that greater consumption of non-starchy vegetables and or fruit helps protects against a number of aerodigestive cancers and some other cancers.
Dietary patterns that are linked to a lower risk of cancer consistently feature high consumption of these foods.
Our evidence shows that fruit and vegetables, as well as wholegrains and fibre, play a crucial role in protecting us against certain cancers, as well as weight gain, overweight and obesity. That is why our nutritionists have developed healthy and delicious recipes to help people get their 5-A-DAY
– Dr Panagiota Mitrou, Director of Research Funding and Science External Relations
An integrated approach to considering the evidence shows that most diets that are protective against cancer are rich in foods of plant origin.
Relatively unprocessed foods of plant origin are rich in nutrients and dietary fibre. Higher consumption of these foods, instead of processed foods high in fat, refined starches (eg white bread or pasta, biscuits, cakes and pastries) and sugars, would mean a diet is higher in essential nutrients and more effective for regulating energy intake relative to energy expenditure. This could protect against weight gain, overweight and obesity and therefore protect against obesity-related cancers.
In many parts of the world, traditional food systems are based on roots or tubers such as cassava, sweet potatoes, yams and taro. Where appropriate, traditional food systems should be protected – in addition to their cultural value, and their suitability to local climate and terrain, they are often nutritionally superior to the diets that tend to displace them.
However, monotonous traditional diets, especially those that contain only small amounts of non-starchy vegetables, fruit and pulses (legumes), are likely to be low in essential micronutrients and thereby increase susceptibility to some cancers.
A whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach is necessary to create environments for people and communities that are conducive to eating a diet rich in wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans.
A comprehensive package of policies is needed to enable and encourage people to eat enough wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans, including policies that influence the food environment, the food system and behaviour change communication across the life course. Globally, food systems that are directed towards foods of plant rather than animal origin are more likely to contribute to a sustainable ecological environment. Policymakers are encouraged to frame specific goals and actions according to their national context.
> Find out more about our policy action for cancer prevention.
Our Recommendations work together as an overall way of living healthily to prevent cancer.
> Download a PDF that details all the information about our Recommendations
