If you are reading this blog, it is likely that you are seeking information to support a life of both health and longevity. You deserve a pat on the back for this mindset. The quality of your life and health throughout your life is due to many factors. One of these factors which is under your control is the diet pattern you choose to follow. Nutrition can be both a way to promote longevity and decrease your risk of certain diseases or can work in the opposite direction.
Your risk of developing certain cancers may be influenced by your diet choices. One food group which may play an important role in reducing your risk of developing certain cancer are vegetables. Most adults need between 5-6 serves of vegetables a day.
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (2) says a serve of vegetables is:
- ½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables (for example, broccoli, spinach, carrots, or pumpkin)
- ½ cup cooked dried or canned beans, peas, or lentils (preferably with no added salt)
- 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables
- ½ cup sweet corn
- ½ medium potato or other starchy vegetables (sweet potato, taro or cassava)
- 1 medium tomato
You are not alone if you think you may be falling short of reaching your recommended serves of vegetables each day. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating states that around half of Australians are meeting their daily target for this food group (2).
An essay could be written on the benefits of getting enough vegetables. This blog will focus on cancer risk. Certain cancers may be influenced by your diet and one of these is gastric cancer. The National Cancer Institute defines gastric cancer as ‘Cancer that forms in tissues lining the stomach. Also called stomach cancer.’ (3)
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis, which are considered strong levels of study design support the link between higher intake of vegetables with a lower risk of gastric cancer. The link between the risk of gastric cancer and vegetable intake was seen significantly in population which were eating less than the recommended serves of vegetables each day.
This research reinforces the fact that you can’t supplement a food group like vegetables for a standard multivitamin to keep your body working at its best. To help you get started on increasing this food group here are some tips that may help:
- Start with achievable amounts and progress gradually. It takes a while for your body to adapt to the increase in fibre so adding a whole extra 5 serves of vegetables all at once is not recommended. Try starting with a serve of two extra each day and work up gradually each week.
- Make it tasty. It is not true that you can’t make friends with salad. Try adding some tasty cheese to the salad or herbs and spices to add flavour. A common misconception is a salad needs to have iceburg lettuce to be considered a salad. Any vegetable is a good vegetable and add the ones which you like to eat.
- Soup counts! Soup is a delicious and warming way to add more vegetables to your day as well as helps to keep you hydrated.
- Try adding a vegetable to your snack or meal. This could be making your breakfast an omelet instead of just toast and a boiled egg. Or substituting some of the meat in taco mince for kidney beans. Or try topping a wholegrain cracker with some cream cheese, spring onion and sliced carrot.
- Aim for a meat free meal or two each week. By swapping meat for a vegetable protein like beans this helps to meet your vegetable serves. Some meat free ideas could be chickpea patties, vegetarian based curries using beans, bean stews or soups, vegetable burritos, a falafel bowl, loaded potato with beans and cheese, baked beans on toast, or vegetarian lasagna to give you a few ideas.
To provide you with more tailored nutrition support to meet your needs including your vegetable requirements each day, reach out to an experienced Accredited Practising Dietitian.
Take home message: There are many reasons why it is important to eat enough vegetables each day. One of these is it may reduce your risk of developing gastric cancer.
References:
- Wu X, Qin G, Zhang R, et al. Effect of vegetable consumption on risk of gastric cancer: a systematic review and multi-level meta-analysis of prospective studies. Nutrition Research Reviews. Published online 2024:1-10. doi:10.1017/S0954422424000040
- Vegetables and Legumes/Beans, Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Eatforhealth.gov.au, Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/vegetables-and-legumes-beans. 1/6/2024.
- Gastric Cancer. National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/gastric-cancer. 1/6/2024
