I'm now eating Purple Sweet Potatoes. Why are they and other colorful foods so magical for statistically helping to reduce the risk of disease.?
A few days ago, I listened to a podcast episode of Mel Robbins featuring Dr. Dawn Mussallem — and I honestly haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
Dr. Mussallem is both a cancer survivor and a respected oncologist at the Mayo Clinic, and throughout the interview she shared medical statistic after statistic about how we need to eat foods that protect our bodies from disease… and eliminate or reduce foods that potentially increase disease risk over time.
Eye Opener
The podcast was fascinating, educational, and honestly a little shocking. I took notes throughout the episode because the statistics Dr. Mussallem shared were hard to ignore. She explained that many studies now suggest that the foods we eat every single day may either help lower our risk of getting cancer… or quietly increase our risk of getting cancer it over time.
After listening, I started looking more closely at some of the foods she recommended — including purple sweet potatoes, which are packed with powerful protective antioxidants. But it is not only purple sweet potatoes. Here are some of the protective foods she strongly recommended adding into your daily routine to help lower the risk :
1. Berries especially blueberries (which can be purchased frozen)
Rich in antioxidants that help protect cells from damage and inflammation.
2. Purple Sweet Potatoes
Loaded with anthocyanins — the same powerful antioxidants found in blueberries and purple cabbage that give these foods their deep purple color.
3. Soy Foods — Especially Edamame
This part surprised me. Dr. Mussallem explained that minimally processed soy foods are actually linked to protective benefits, despite years of confusion and misinformation surrounding soy.
4. Cruciferous Vegetables - a daily must
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, Brussels sprouts, and similar vegetables contain compounds associated with cancer protection. She mentioned that raw is best when possible — even if you only eat a bite or two raw before cooking the rest.
5. Kiwi
Very helpful for digestion and elimination so toxins and waste do not sit in the body as long.
6. Beans and Lentils
Dr. Mussallem stressed the vital importance of fiber. Beans and lentils provide valuable fiber, antioxidants, and plant protein that help support gut and metabolic health and proper elimination of waste in the body.
7. Leafy Greens- generous amounts
Spinach, kale, romaine, sprouts, arugula and other greens are loaded with nutrients and protective plant compounds.
You Do Not Need To Be A Vegetarian
She did not say everyone needs to become vegetarian. Instead, she strongly encouraged increasing whole plant foods daily and crowding out the harmful processed foods that presently dominate so many modern diets.
Bad Foods That Turn On Disease Promoting Pathways
Dr. Mussallem explained that many foods that are commonly eaten in America today may actually help “turn on” inflammation and disease-promoting pathways in the body. That is honestly hard to ignore.
Dr. Mussallem's Recommendation of Some Of The Foods to Avoid or Eliminate
1. Processed Meats
Lunch meats, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and many processed chicken products. Lox and cured fish are classified as processed meats as well.
2. Ultra-Processed Foods
Packaged foods made in factories that contain preservatives, artificial ingredients, food dyes, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, and other destructive chemical additives.
3. Artificial Sweeteners
This was another major warning. Many sugar-free products contain artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols such as sucralose, erythritol, aspartame, and others. Emerging research continues to raise concerns about how these additives may negatively affect gut bacteria, insulin response, inflammation, cravings, and overall metabolic health.
The major concern from erythritol: blood clotting
Several studies from researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that erythritol may make platelets more “sticky,” increasing clot formation potential. In studies, people consuming a typical serving had erythritol blood levels rise dramatically, along with increased platelet activity.
Researchers warned this could raise the risk of:
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Blood clots
**: erythritol is often hidden inside products labeled “stevia” or “monk fruit.” The front label may highlight the natural sweetener, but erythritol is often the first ingredient in the ingredient list. I had no idea-
I use stevia packets all the time.- sure enough, I checked the package and the first ingredient was erythritol- GEEZ !!! Who Knew??? I just purchased pure stevia online.
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Do you listen to podcasts? Are you a fan of Mel Robbins? Who Do you listen to?
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Sample Meals
Cauliflower-Rice Chickpea Bowl (link to recipe
Sleep Helps Repair Our Bodies
Dr. Mussallem emphasized the importance of getting 7–9 hours of sleep each night. She explained that the body repairs, restores, and cleanses itself during sleep.
Daily Movement and Stress Reduction
Exercise and movement help regulate glucose levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and help the body function more efficiently overall.
I found the entire podcast incredibly eye-opening and motivating. It definitely made me think more carefully about the small choices we make every day and how much they may affect our long-term health.
My Notes:
Some of the statistics she shared were startling:
- Ultra-processed foods now make up roughly 63% of the average American diet.
- Diets high in refined grains, ultra-processed foods, and added sugars may increase breast cancer risk by approximately 20%.
- Women with the highest levels of insulin resistance were found to have a 34–78% higher breast cancer risk.
- Processed meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and deli meats are classified as Group 1 carcinogens — the same category as smoking and asbestos. Meaning there is enough convincing scientific evidence proving processed meats may cause cancer in humans.
