3 Difference Makers to upgrade your cancer-fighting kitchen with Rachel Beller, MS, RDN

How can you do this? Read on, as today, I’m introducing you to three of my TOP Difference Makers from the Beller Method™. Just one handful of any of these superfoods will have a dramatic impact on your battle against cancer and its effects.

Watercress

Did you know that the number 1 CDC-ranked nutrient dense vegetable is watercress?

This nutritional powerhouse is rich in indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanate, which are phytonutrients that research shows may fight breast cancer by enhancing the body’s natural detoxification processes and potentially reducing tumor cell spread.

Watercress may also protect your DNA from damage. A British study found that participants who ate just 3 ounces of watercress for 8 weeks had higher antioxidant levels in their blood compared to those who didn't eat the watercress. This Difference Maker is powerful!

Rachel’s Power Tip

Eat watercress raw in order to maximize its benefits, as cooking can reduce its antioxidant content. Add a small handful to your salads, sandwiches, and atop your soups. Or add to a smoothie for an anti-cancer boost.

Bonus feature

Watercress is a natural diuretic and can help with debloating, leaving you feeling comfy.

Broccoli Sprouts

By now, everyone’s familiar with regular broccoli and the many ways you can prepare it. But have you tried broccoli sprouts? Broccoli sprouts are harvested when they’re just a few days old and are incredibly powerful. The sprouts contain up to 100 times the amount of the phytochemical sulforaphane than regular broccoli. Studies have shown that sulforaphane may help detoxify carcinogens, inhibit breast cancer cell growth, and may also prevent tumor cell proliferation. Just 2 tablespoons of broccoli sprouts contain as much sulforaphane as 2 pounds of mature broccoli!

Broccoli sprouts are easy to find at your regular grocery store but you can also grow your own from seeds. Broccoli sprouts are easy to throw atop a salad, soup, or in a sandwich.

Rachel’s Power Tip

Amp up a basic green smoothie with this Difference Maker! It only takes an extra second but adds mega power to a smoothie that’s already loaded with ingredients that optimize our nutrition.

Bonus feature

With the prebiotic fiber from the flaxseeds and a greenish banana, this smoothie will also nourish your gut microbiome, which emerging research suggests can  help balance estrogen levels.  Plus, it keeps you feeling full and satisfied.

Beller’s AM Power Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cup plant milk, unsweetened
• 1 banana (greenish, frozen)
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• ½ cup spinach
• ¼ cup watercress leaves
• 1tablespoons broccoli sprouts

Directions:

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth

Nori

Nori is so much more than just the dried seaweed that holds your sushi roll together. Nori is a unique source of prebiotic fibers that are only found in sea vegetables. These fibers help nourish the microbiome, which in turn may help balance estrogen levels. Balanced estrogen levels then reduce the risk of breast cancer and support thrivorship.

These prebiotic fibers also may assist the body’s already existing natural detoxification process, shuttling carcinogens and toxins out of the GI tract. A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating a single sheet of nori per day was linked to a lower risk of breast cancer.

I consider nori to be a kitchen counter essential! Not only does it taste great and provide those unique prebiotic fibers, but it’s also like a multivitamin — rich in essential vitamins and minerals in addition to its antioxidants and phytonutrients.

The best part is…all these benefits don’t come at a cost- nori is a budget friendly food! A full packet of full size sheets only costs about $3.

Rachel’s Power Tip

It’s easier to use than you think! I love making quinoa sushi: Roll up quinoa and your favorite veggies in some nori for a delicious and nutritious treat.

Bonus feature

Shredded nori is also great sprinkled in soups, salads, or rice bowls.

Now that you’ve learned about these three premium Difference Makers and how to integrate them into your personal nutrition blueprint, I hope you’ll run, not walk to your nearest grocery store to stock up on watercress, broccoli sprouts, and nori. There’s no better time than now to upgrade your Cancer-Fighting Kitchen by optimizing your nutrition!