Research shows that consuming 5 different types of fresh vegetables and fruits daily, totaling 400 grams, can lower the cancer risk by 30% to 40%. According to Lianhe Zaobao, the local Cancer Foundation in Taiwan recently launched a 5-year plan titled "Five Fruits and Vegetables Every Day, Cancer Prevention Made Easy." It emphasizes that such a daily diet not only prevents cancer but also helps prevent various lifestyle diseases.
Peng Wang-Jia Kang, Vice Chairman of the Taiwan Cancer Foundation, pointed out that the United States began promoting cancer-prevention dietary education in 1991, advocating for 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Over the past 5 years, the cancer incidence rate has decreased by 0.7%, and the mortality rate by 0.5%, largely attributed to changes in dietary habits. Europe and Australia have since followed suit.
Local research data in Taiwan indicates that cancer has been the leading cause of death for 19 consecutive years. The incidence rate has doubled to date, and the mortality rate is also nearly double that of 19 years ago. The foundation also found a significant correlation between cancer and dietary fat intake. For example, from 1982 to 1997, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer saw a continuous rise in their rankings among the top ten cancers in Taiwan.
Peng Wang-Jia Kang explained that since 1990, the fat intake of the Taiwanese population has exceeded 30% of total calories, and it has now risen to as high as 34-37%. According to relevant nutrition surveys, their dietary fiber intake is only half of the recommended amount and has even decreased over the past decade or so. On the other hand, the intake of fruits and vegetables is also significantly insufficient; only 30% of people meet the vegetable intake standard, and for fruit, the figure is even lower at 15%.
Therefore, the cancer-prevention dietary plan advocated by the Taiwan Cancer Foundation emphasizes that the primary step for cancer prevention at this stage is to reduce fat intake to 25% of total calories. Besides reducing fat, it also encourages people to eat more high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—at least double the current intake. The specific method is to consume 3 servings of vegetables (about 300 grams) and 2 servings of fruit (about 2 oranges) daily. The foundation suggests that one more serving of vegetables and one more serving of fruit can be added, and the total variety should be 5.