Scientists have found a possible new explanation for why people who eat more fruits and vegetables have higher resistance to the spread of cancer. The answer lies in a simple fiber, called pectin. Pectin, found in all fruits and vegetables and known for its jam-jelling qualities, appears to bind to and inhibit galectin 3, a protein in the body that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression.

 
Source: Norwich BioScience Institutes, 2008