Latest news with #berries
CNET
6 days ago
- Health
- CNET
5 Everyday Foods That May Help Protect Against Cancer
A balanced diet plays a major role in ensuring that you stay healthy. But did you know that there is evidence to suggest that certain foods may even reduce your risk of developing cancer? That's right. While there's no miracle food out there, studies show that certain ingredients may offer some protective benefits. We asked doctors and experts which foods have been shown to potentially decrease cancer risk. 1. Berries Berries are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids like anthocyanins, which are anti-inflammatory and can reduce oxidative stress. "These two factors are major drivers of cancer, and berries pack a punch when it comes to reducing those risks," board-certified oncology dietician and cancer survivor Alison Tierney says. A 2005 study in the European Journal of Cancer found that brightly-colored fruits with high anthocyanin levels may be chemopreventive, and could potentially reduce your risk of developing cancer. The phytochemicals in berries alter the gut microbiome to target immune cells to suppress tumor growth that could develop into cancer. In vivo, polyphenols in raspberries and strawberries have been shown to inhibit colon and prostate cancer cell growth in a 2011 review. Antioxidant-rich strawberries also may inhibit cancer cell growth in the liver, regardless of cultivar type and antioxidant level, in a 2003 test-tube study. Black raspberries have been found to slow colorectal cancer tissue growth in 2011 and 2012 cancer research studies. One 2012 rat study found both blueberries and black raspberries may also inhibit estrogen-driven breast cancer tumors. The chemopreventive effects in black raspberry anthocyanins may also prevent esophageal tumors from developing, according to a 2009 cancer prevention research study on rats. The American Institute of Cancer Research recommends a diet filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and plant-based foods — including blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries — to help lower cancer risk, as seen in laboratory studies. 2. Soybeans"Soy often gets a bad reputation, but research suggests it is a cancer-fighting powerhouse," Tierney says. Previously, soy plant estrogens (isoflavones) were believed to disrupt hormones, raising breast cancer risk in women. But soy-based foods like tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk do not contain enough isoflavones to increase your breast cancer chances, according to the Mayo Clinic. That said, taking concentrated isoflavone supplements could raise your risk if you have a personal or family history of thyroid issues or breast cancer. The American Cancer Society suggests that rat studies in which rats were exposed to high doses of isoflavones from soy may be linked to breast cancer. However, rats don't process soy the same way people do. Human studies, on the other hand, have revealed that soy's estrogen effects either have no effect or reduce breast cancer risk. A 2021 technical review of 417 reports concluded that soyfoods and isoflavones should not be classified as endocrine disruptors. In a 2024 study, participants eating 54 grams of soy products daily had an 11% reduction in cancer risk, while drinking 23 grams of soymilk daily showed a 28% lesser cancer risk. A 2021 meta-analysis of 300,000 Chinese women who enrolled in a study from 2004 to 2008 and had a follow-up in 2016 found that a 10 mg/day soy intake reduced breast cancer risk by 3%. 3. Tomatoes Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes that could lower one's risk of developing lung, breast and stomach cancers, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center. A 2022 systematic review of 72 animal and human studies found that lycopene regulates inflammatory and oxidative stress processes, influences cell death and suppresses cell division, tumor growth and formation. In a 23-year longitudinal study of men published in 2016, researchers found that men who consumed two or more servings of tomato sauce weekly had a 30% lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those who ate one serving or less per month. These results are similar to a 2022 epidemiologic study review suggesting that increasing tomato-based product intake may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene's ability to suppress tumor progression and boost the immune system while reducing inflammation has also shown promise in reducing the risk of lung cancer. Despite being carotenoids, beta-carotene and lycopene differ chemically, with beta-carotene potentially increasing lung cancer risk. Though tomatoes have a high level of lycopene, it's also found in other red, yellow and orange foods like watermelon, peppers, grapefruit, papaya and guava. 4. Green teaIncluding green tea in your diet may also reduce your risk of developing cancer. "Green tea contains bioactives called catechins, specifically EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), that starve cancer by cutting off their blood supply," Dr. William Li, scientist and author of Eat to Beat Disease, says. "This activity, known as anti-angiogenesis, has been extensively researched." Angiogenesis is a normal and necessary blood vessel formation process during pre- and postnatal growth stages that helps oxygen reach your organs and tissues. But if your cells malfunction and create tumors, angiogenesis can feed the tumors, creating cancer and helping it spread throughout your body. EGCG has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which "brings promising results in the prevention of breast, lung, prostate, stomach and pancreatic cancers. A 2012 Nutrients study found EGCG to be the most effective chemopreventive polyphenol in green tea. Over a 30-year study, EGCG in green tea has been shown to delay the onset of cancer and reduce your chances of getting a cancer diagnosis. According to AICR, studies where green tea has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer typically involve a large amount of tea consumption daily, from three to six cups. A 2018 analysis found that drinking more than 10 cups may lower your risk of the following cancers: colorectal, liver, lung and stomach. 5. Cruciferous vegetables Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, bok choy and cabbage contain a powerful antioxidant, sulforaphane, that has anti-inflammatory properties and fights against oxidative stress, a factor that can lead to cancer. "Sulforaphane has been shown to not only stop the growth of particular cancer cells but also encourage apoptosis (programmed cell death)," Dr. Courtney Scott, medical director of Momentous Recovery Group in Los Angeles, says. "Its functionality lies in activating specific enzymes that neutralize toxins in the human body, thus reducing the probability of DNA impairment that may stimulate cancer. These have been noted for breast, prostate and colon cancers specifically." A 2000 case-control study found that men who ate a large amount of cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk of prostate cancer. Premenopausal women in a 2008 epidemiological study who consumed cruciferous vegetables (broccoli in particular) regularly were found to have a marginally lower risk of breast cancer. A more recent 2022 study found another compound in cruciferous vegetables, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), frees tumor-suppressing genes to allow them to attack tumor cells and kill them off before they can grow into cancer and spread throughout the body. However, the study was done on lab mice, with humans needing to eat an equivalent amount of over six pounds of broccoli per day to get the same effects. The bottom line Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, green tea and other vitamin-packed foods can nourish your body, allowing you to live a healthy and active life. It may also build your immune response so your body is ready to fight off cancer cells before they can grow and develop into diagnosable cancer. Making foods such as berries, soybeans, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables and drinks like green tea a regular part of your diet has been shown to potentially provide your body with the right chemicals to reduce your risk of cancer.
Entrepreneur
20-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How He Started a Business With Over $1 Billion in Sales
Steve Magami grew up in a "wellness-oriented" family, and early on, he experienced the frustration shared by fruit consumers across the U.S.: the pervasive game of "berry roulette," where there's no guarantee that the carton of berries pulled from a grocery store shelf will actually taste good. Image Credit: Courtesy of Fruitist. Steve Magami. The issue often stems from a scattered supply chain, wherein the product cycles through disparate growers, packers, distributors and retailers before it reaches the consumer. "The produce space went in the direction of commodity agriculture, which is an extreme focus on cost and yield to bring cost per kilo down," Magami tells Entrepreneur. Magami wanted to start a berry business with a vertical supply chain that would raise the bar for product quality. He and his co-founder, Thomas Snyder, founded Agrovision, a Los Angeles-based agriculture company specializing in berries, in 2012, and introduced its berry brand Fruitist in 2020. Related: A Cambodian Refugee Paralyzed By Polio Says 'Not Much' Was Expected of Him. He and His Wife Built a Multimillion-Dollar Business That Beat All Odds. The brand has been making its mark on the massive global berry market ever since. Fruitist's flagship product is its jumbo blueberries, but the company also sells blackberries, raspberries and cherries. Today, Fruitist's sales generate over $400 million a year, and the brand just surpassed $1 billion in lifetime sales. The parent company officially changed its name to Fruitist on April 16. "We knew we needed a name that reflected our mission, identity and where we were going," Magami says. Image Credit: Courtesy of Fruitist "I saw an opportunity to use these microclimates with a new model to solve that 'berry roulette.'" Magami was working in private equity, looking at microclimates for large-scale biofuel development and deployment, when inspiration for Fruitist struck. "I saw an opportunity to use these microclimates with a new model to solve that 'berry roulette,'" Magami says. "I saw an opportunity to truly inspire healthy and enjoyable snacking." The berry industry might not be widely recognized for its potential for disruption, but as Magami and Snyder built their brand "brick by brick," they managed to attract notable investors, including the family office of Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater Associates. Related: 4 Strategies for Creating a Compelling Business Plan That Actually Attracts Investors — and Secures Funding "It's so unique because we're disrupting this sleepy industry, the fruit aisle," Magami explains. "This is a high-impact play. There's a lot of sustainability around this, and it gives you the ability to play outside of tech but in a high-growth, disruptive way." Fruitist has raised a total of $693 million between equity and debt, per the company. These days, Fruitist has to turn interested investors away, Magami says. "They're making more money per square inch of the shelf. There's virtually no shrink with us." Fruitist relies on technology and data analytics to achieve its consistent product quality. The company has invested more than $600 million since its founding to build precise, high-tech production operations in seven countries in addition to the U.S.: Peru, Mexico, Chile, Morocco, Egypt, China and India. The plan was always to start with a differentiated product and secure buy-in from retailers, which would then get consumers on board in just "a matter of time," Magami says. Customer demand across the more than 12,500 U.S. retail stores where Fruitist is available, including Costco and Whole Foods, proves that assessment out. "Our retailers are making more money with us," Magami says. "We're driving foot traffic, [and] they're making more money per square inch of the shelf. There's virtually no shrink with us." Related: 5 Business Truths I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Built a Startup Fruitist's commitment to product quality has also helped Fruitist position its berries for U.S. snacking culture. "Obviously, the trend is towards healthier, nutritious, convenient, grab-and-go," Magami says. "Blueberries are already so healthy, but to have blueberries that are so good and so consistent is a massive unlock. Because now you're hitting everything that you could want in a snack." Image Credit: Courtesy of Fruitist "The dollars will come. Don't cut corners prioritizing cost over consumer experience." Magami is determined to build Fruitist into a generational business — not one that "stops growing after five years" — and to continue amplifying its brand messaging. Magami is especially excited to continue that work through the world of sports. Fruitist became the official snack partner of D.C. United, announcing a multi-year partnership in February 2024, and partnered with the University of Southern California's (USC) Trojans last October. What's more, Fruitist is particularly keen on capturing the attention of younger generations. Magami is encouraged by the positive response from his children and their friends to Fruitist's berries and strives to get the product into the hands of other young snackers. The brand's forthcoming snack cups, which will retail for about $3, are another step toward increased accessibility, Magami says. Related: How to Master the Art of Brand Messaging With Clear and Consistent Communication Despite the company's impressive track record to date, Magami believes that Fruitist has "only scratched the surface" of what's possible — and notes that other founders considering the produce space should embrace the chance to fill gaps in quality. "There's so much opportunity across the produce aisle, in our view, from what we've seen outside of our products that we're focused on, which is berries and cherries," Magami says. "I would encourage entrepreneurs to focus on controlling the quality consistently and delivering an experience on the shelf, and the dollars will come. Don't cut corners prioritizing cost over consumer experience."
