No, this smoothie recipe doesn't cure cancer | Fact check

The claim: This plant-based drink cures ‘terminal cancer’

[En Español: Esta receta de batido puede ser saludable pero no cura el cáncer]

A July 4 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) has a video with the title, "This is the Recipe that is ending terminal cancer,” in Spanish.

“If you have family or friends who unfortunately are suffering from any type of cancer send them this recipe,” a person says in Spanish. The person says a beverage has cured "more than 170 patients with terminal cancer" and provides a recipe that includes limes, ginger, cloves and aloe vera.  

The post was shared more than 20,000 times in a week.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

While research has shown benefits to consuming a plant-based diet while battling cancer, experts say calling any particular concoction a cure is baseless. There is no evidence any fruits, vegetables, herbs or other plants alone can cure the disease.

Experts encourage plant-based diet for cancer patients, do not call it cure

Several of the nation’s leading cancer centers encourage cancer patients to follow a plant-based diet, saying research shows that antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components in produce are helpful for staying healthy and battling side effects of cancer treatments. Experts told USA TODAY that some of the ingredients in the recipe have those properties. But they said there is no research identifying a “cure” that involves consuming certain plants and expressed concerns that people seeing such a video could forego other treatments.

“Limes, ginger, cloves, and aloe vera contain antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E and are important for general health, but currently there is no data showing that taking these ingredients by mouth cures cancer,” Dr. Channing Paller, an oncologist at Johns Hopkins, wrote in an email. “Different cancers also have different mechanisms so any discovered benefits may not apply to all cancers.”

Paller said studies are underway into the potential cancer-fighting benefit of vitamin C, which is found in the beverage recipe.  But she noted that the most recent studies she knew of looked at it administered intravenously in conjunction with traditional medications, not by mouth or with other vitamins found in plants.

Lindsey Wohlford, a registered dietitian at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said the efficacy of components in the beverage’s ingredients have been studied in rodents and isolated cancer cells, but she was not aware of any human trials that could determine efficacy or the mechanism of how the plants as a whole could help.  

“The most concerning issue with this type of concoction is that cancer patients might abandon their physician-prescribed cancer treatment plan,” she said in an email. “There is no indication these plant foods individually or in combination can replace evidence-based cancer treatments.”

Fact check: Job posting, pandemic law do not prove COVID-19 was planned

Lisa Statner, an outpatient oncology dietitian with USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, said most of the beverage's ingredients could have at least some benefits for cancer patients. She said a recent study on the effect of limonin, a component of limes and other citrus fruits, on cancer was promising, but its impact “when used with a poor prognosis is still unknown.” Cloves are “extraordinarily high in antioxidant activity.” And ginger is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can be particularly beneficial for chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Statner did express some hesitation about consuming aloe vera, saying it has benefits when applied topically but there are “some toxicity concerns” around eating or drinking it.

“When I hear the word ’cure’ in relation to a food, spice or supplement I am always suspicious,” she wrote in an email to USA TODAY. “To my knowledge, there aren’t any smoothies, teas or foods that will cure cancer. There has been very interesting nutrition research, especially in the last 20 years, however. Every day a beneficial compound is discovered in our plant foods and that’s why variety is key. If someone only drank this smoothie, they may be missing out on other anti-inflammatory foods.”

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the claim for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

• Dr. Channing Paller, July 10-12, Email exchange with USA TODAY
• Lisa Statner, July 10-12, Email exchange with USA TODAY
• Lindsey Wohlford, July 10-12, Email exchange with USA TODAY
• ClinicalTrials.gov, accessed July 11, Phase II Study of PARP Inhibitor Olaparib and IV Ascorbate in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer
• Journal of Clinical Oncology, June 1, 2023, Randomized placebo-controlled trial of intravenous vitamin C plus docetaxel in metastatic prostate cancer
• World Journal of Clinical Oncology, Feb. 24, Limonin inhibits the stemness of cancer stem-like cells derived from colorectal carcinoma cells potentially via blocking STAT3 signaling

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.