[Kim Jaeho's Life Story]<225> Misconceptions and Truths About Anticancer Foods

In our society, many foods and nutrients are known to be good for health, among which there are quite a few anticancer foods that attract the attention of cancer patients. Koreans have a long tradition of boiling and drinking herbal medicine when they are sick, so it is easy to expect that eating certain foods or herbs will cure cancer. Even recently, we often hear stories of cancer patients who recovered after consuming certain foods or herbs.

Generally, people tend to think that anticancer foods directly kill cancer cells. But can any component in foods known as anticancer foods, such as garlic, tomato, or broccoli, actually kill cancer cells directly?

Contrary to popular belief, no research to date has proven that any component in food can kill only cancer cells without harming normal cells and thereby cure cancer. If such a component had been identified in anticancer foods, pharmaceutical companies would have already extracted it to create a miracle drug for cancer treatment, and cancer would have disappeared as a dreadful disease.

Although it is clear that anticancer foods do not directly kill cancer cells, people still actively seek and consume them. So, what happens inside the body when anticancer foods are eaten, and what occurs inside the bodies of those who believe they were cured of cancer thanks to these foods?

To answer this question, it is necessary to look at how our body works. When we eat food, the nutrients in the food do not directly perform any function inside the body; instead, they are digested and absorbed and passively used as raw materials.

After absorbing nutrients, our body burns some of them inside cells to produce energy, and uses others as raw materials to create substances needed by the body. Because the body requires a wide variety of functions, there are many types of substances needed to perform these functions. The blueprint and program for producing these substances, the genes, are present in over 20,000 copies in every cell.

For example, when we eat food, the body must produce digestive enzymes to break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the food. When blood sugar suddenly rises, it must produce the hormone insulin to lower it. When bacteria, viruses, or cancer cells enter the body, it must produce substances to eliminate them. This is why so many genes are necessary, and the genes produce the required substances according to their programs.

By examining the way our body works?using digested and absorbed nutrients as raw materials and producing necessary substances according to genetic programs?we can easily understand the role of anticancer foods. Let’s first look at cancer prevention.

Among the very important substances that greatly help prevent cancer are antioxidants. Our body produces many reactive oxygen species (ROS) not only when exposed to pollutants like cigarette smoke or radiation but also during normal metabolism. These ROS can damage cells and cause various diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, antioxidants are essential to protect cells from these harmful agents.

Some antioxidants are produced in the liver, but the amount is insufficient, so we need to supplement antioxidants by consuming foods containing them. There are estimated to be thousands of types of antioxidants, each with different functions, so it is important to consume a variety of antioxidants in sufficient amounts.

From the perspective of cancer healing, we need to look at the activity of immune cells such as T cells, which directly kill cancer cells in our body. For immune cells to effectively eliminate cancer cells, genes that produce substances to kill cancer cells must be activated, and it is important to supply the necessary nutrients and ensure these genes are properly turned on. Having strong immunity means being in such a state.

From the cancer prevention perspective, most foods known as anticancer foods contain many antioxidants, which reduce reactive oxygen species and thus are quite helpful in preventing cancer. However, considering the vast number of antioxidant types and their wide presence in plant-based foods, it is much better to eat a variety of whole plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains in sufficient amounts rather than excessively consuming these specific foods.

From the cancer healing perspective, as mentioned earlier, it is difficult to expect any component in anticancer foods to directly kill cancer cells. Therefore, similar to cancer prevention, it is better to eat a variety of whole plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains in sufficient amounts, while limiting sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, salt, and alcohol (see Life Story episode 33).

Furthermore, to effectively kill newly formed cancer cells and prevent and heal cancer, it is not only necessary to supply sufficient nutrients but also to ensure that the gene switches?so-called life switches?that produce these substances are properly turned on. This requires creating an environment where genes can work enthusiastically by living a ‘pro-life lifestyle,’ which is exactly what NEWSTART (see episode 6) is about.

Jaeho Kim, Independent Researcher

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.