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| home : how we can help : prevention, screening, & diagnostics : answers to cancer : diet & nutrition
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Question: I know that eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is recommended to reduce my risk of cancer, but I worry about the pesticides on these foods. Won't they cause cancer?
Answer: You are certainly right about fruits and vegetables being good for your health. There is substantial evidence that diets high in fruits and vegetables are protective against many cancers. Everyone should strive to eat 5 or more servings a day. The benefit from these foods far outweigh the risk of chemical contaminants that may be on these foods in trace amounts from pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides. Less than 1% of all cancers are believed to be caused by exposure to all manufactured chemicals in air, water, soil and food. In contrast, researchers predict that eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables could reduce cancer risk by as much as 20%.
However it is always good to try to minimize exposure. Below are a few tips for reducing your consumption of chemical residues on foods.
- Scrub vegetables and fruits before eating to remove dirt, bacteria and pesticides
- Select and buy produce without damaged surfaces or holes
- Remove outer leaves of leafy vegetables
- Eat a variety of produce and foods to reduce exposure to any one pesticide
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