Variety is the spice of life, and when it comes to diet, the right variety supports health and longer life. The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) note that eating many different fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may prevent a third of all cancers.

The Mediterranean diet—rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and fish—reduces the risk of both cancer and heart disease. A Greek study of more than 20,000 adults found that those eating a typical Mediterranean diet cut their risk for both diseases. While they consumed nearly a pound of vegetables daily—twice the amount in the typical American diet—they ate only small amounts of meat and dairy products, and very little saturated fat. Olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, accompanied many of their vegetables.

Garlic and other allium family vegetables (onions, shallots, chives) offer organic allyl sulfur components that inhibit the cancer process. Wait 15 minutes between peeling and cooking garlic, since heat inactivates allinase, which produces a cancer-fighting compound when the pungent bulb is peeled.

Other “superfoods” include berries, spinach, and squash. Broccoli, cabbage, and other crucifers offer sulforaphane, identified as a cancer-fighter in 1992. Carotenoids in dark green, leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, Swiss chard) can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the breast, skin, lung, and stomach, while lycopene in cooked tomatoes fights prostate cancer. One study showed that tomatoes and broccoli eaten together may increase the cancer protection of both foods.