Dr Oz: Cancer-Fighting Foods + Sweet Potato-Ginger Fried Rice

Dr Oz: Foods That Fight Cancer

When it comes to cancer, the most feared disease, you can fight back! Dr Oz and chef Ming Tsai teamed up to share what foods and diet staples can help boost your health, immunity, and cancer-fighting abilities. Chef Ming has always said “you are what you eat” and said you can take control of your health if you’re smart about what you eat.

First, the healthiest mushroom you can munch on is the maitake mushroom, which can build your immune system and help you fight cancer. Of course, cruciferous vegetables are a must-have, as well as soy like tofu and edamame. Omega-3-rich foods like nuts and grapeseed oil should also be a regular addition to your meals.

Dr William Li explained that scientists study populations and look at specific foods those populations eat, then correlate it with the reduction in risk of certain cancer. That’s exactly how the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet were discovered. Like healthy cells, cancer cells require nutrients to survive and grow. Cancers get those nutrients through capillaries that they can grow and feed themselves through a process called angiogenesis. Some foods contain natural chemicals that interfere with that process.

Essentially, if you eat certain foods, they cut off the blood supply to tumors, starving the cancer. A food or beverage that contains cancer-starving properties are those cancer-fighting foods Chef Ming was referring to.

Dr Oz: Cooking With Cancer-Fighting Foods

To help give viewers an idea of how to cook with cancer-fighting foods, Chef Ming prepared a nutritious and flavorful dish. He sauteed sweet potatoes with ginger, and then combined brown rice and white rice to stir into the sweet potato and ginger. You can find his delicious recipe on the next page.

Dr Oz: Sweet Potato-Ginger Fried Rice Recipe Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato – peeled, small dice
• 2 3/4 C low sodium chicken stock
• grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 6 large slices of ginger
• 2 C long grain rice – washed
• salt and pepper
• 1 package silken tofu

Dr Oz: Sweet Potato-Ginger Fried Rice Recipe Directions

1. Put a medium saucepan on the stove and add oil
2. Saute the ginger for a minute, then season with salt and pepper
3. Add the sweet potato and rice, then saute for three minutes
4. Pour in the chicken stock and add salt and pepper if needed
5. Cover the pan with a lid and boil over high heat for 10 minutes
6. Lower the heat to medium
7. Simmer for 30 minutes then turn off the heat
8. Let the rice stand, covered, for 20 minutes
9. Top the hot rice with for even slices of tofu to heat
10. Put the lid back on the sauce pan for 4-6 minutes to warm the tofu