While diseases are inevitable, the chances of getting them can be managed to a huge extent by eating right and maintaining proper lifestyle habits. Cancer is an insidious disease that is one of the major causes of fatalities across the world, but diet can play a role in decreasing the risk factors of certain types of the condition. To date, there is not one specific food known to cause lung cancer, however, there are instances where red meat, processed meat, and drinking alcohol can potentially increase the risk of developing it. Research has suggested a wide variety of plants and plant-based foods which help in preventing or fight back against lung cancer.

Given below are recipes of foods that help prevent lung cancer.

Blueberry Smoothie
Blueberries (fresh or frozen) – 2 cups

Apples (sliced with peel) – 1 cup

Banana – 1 cup

Vanilla yogurt – ½ cup

Vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon

Fill the blender with the vanilla extract, sliced apples, banana pieces, and blueberries and blend until you achieve a thick, smooth consistency. This smoothie is high in fiber and contains anthocyanin and ellagic acid, which are anticarcinogens.

Orange and Carrot Smoothie
Carrot – 2 cups

Orange (peeled) – 1 cup

Ginger (peeled and sliced) – ½ tablespoon

Flaxseeds – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon

Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon

Water – ½ cup

Honey – 2 teaspoons

The first step is to blend the carrots with water. Then add the oranges, ginger, turmeric, lemon juice, and honey and blend until the mixture becomes moderately thick. Carrots, oranges, turmeric, and ginger are foods that help prevent lung cancer as they have antioxidant properties and phytochemicals like chlorogenic acids that arrest the carcinogens in the body.

Brussels Sprouts Slaw
Brussels sprouts (shredded) – 3 cups

Almonds (roasted and slivered) – ⅓ cup

Dried cranberries (chopped) – ½ cup

Parmesan cheese (finely shredded) – ⅓ cup

Virgin olive oil – ¼ cup

Apple cider vinegar – 2 tablespoons

Honey – 1 tablespoon

Dijon mustard – 1 tablespoon

Garlic (minced) – 1 clove

Black pepper powder – ¼ cup

Lemon juice – ⅓ cup

Sea salt – ¼ teaspoon

First prepare the dressing for the slaw by whisking together the black pepper powder, apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and Parmesan cheese in a big salad bowl. Then add the shredded Brussels sprouts, almonds, and dried cranberries to it and mix well. This salad is quick to make and the ingredients contain cancer-inhibiting compounds such as selenium, phytochemicals, glucosinolates, ellagic acid, and Vitamin C.

Salmon Salad
Salmon fillets (skin removed) – 4 medium pieces

Small red onions (peeled and thinly sliced) – 1

Tomatoes (sliced) – 2 medium

Olives (sliced) – ½ cup

Cucumber (diced) – ⅓ cup

Butter lettuce (sliced) – ½ cup

Red wine vinegar – 3 tablespoons

Olive oil – ¼ cup

Sea salt – ½ teaspoon

Garlic (minced) – 1 clove

Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons

Feta cheese – 4 ounces

Dried oregano – ¾ teaspoon

Black pepper (ground) – ¼ teaspoon

Cold water – ¼ cup

Allow the oven to heat till 400℉ while the vinaigrette is being prepared. For this, mix the lemon juice, vinegar, sea salt, garlic, dried oregano, black pepper and water in a large bowl. Coat the salmon with half this mixture and spread evenly apart on a baking tray, cooking it for approximately 8–12 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the feta cheese, cucumbers, butter lettuce, olives, red onion, and tomatoes in the large bowl and allow to marinate with the remaining vinaigrette. Once the salmon is cooked, add it to the marinated vegetables. Salmon contains omega fatty acids that prevent the formation of adenocarcinomas, which cause cancer at a later stage.

In addition to these, there are many other food items that help prevent lung cancer, consult your doctor about the same and add them to your regular diet.