5 Foods will help you beat and prevent breast cancer one bite at a time
03/26/2021 / By Joanne Washburn / Comments
5 Foods will help you beat and prevent breast cancer one bite at a time

Research shows that about one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer at some point in her life. The good news is, you can avoid being part of that statistic by making changes to your diet.

One of those changes entails making better food choices. Just as eating bad foods like sweets and red meat leads to serious diseases like cancer, so does eating nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables help improve your overall health and ward off diseases.

In fact, studies show that poor nutrition is a modifiable risk factor for most cancers, so don’t underestimate the power of eating healthily when it comes to breast cancer prevention.

On that note, below are the best foods to eat to lower your risk of developing breast cancer:

Fruits and vegetables

Whole, fresh foods like fruits and vegetables contain plenty of nutrients and antioxidants that help prevent free radicals from damaging your DNA. Free radical damage is thought to play a role in cancer development.

One study on 91,779 women showed that following a diet comprised primarily of plant-based foods may reduce breast cancer risk by up to 15 percent.

Additionally, experts advise eating more leafy greens, berries and citrus fruits for breast cancer prevention. For starters, these foods contain powerful compounds like isothiocyanates and carotenoids that are well-known for their cancer-fighting potential. In particular, the carotenoid called beta-carotene in orange vegetables has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer.

You should aim to eat at least five to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Whole grains

Whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat are unprocessed foods rich in complex carbs and fiber. You need fiber to digest food, promote regular bowel movement and keep your gut clean of harmful microbes.

Research now suggests that fiber may play an important role in breast cancer prevention as well. One review of 20 studies on breast cancer showed that eating a high-fiber diet was linked to a reduced incidence of breast cancer. People who ate the most fiber also had an eight percent lower risk of developing breast cancer.

Fiber-rich foods like whole grains also keep you full for longer, which helps prevent weight gain. Being obese or overweight has been linked to several cancers, including those of the breast, uterus and colon.

Legumes

Patients and survivors of breast cancer are encouraged to stick to lean or plant-based sources of protein mainly because red meat is considered a probable cancer-causing substance.

Legumes like black-eyed peas, chickpeas, adzuki beans, kidney beans, peanuts and lentils are excellent sources of protein. They also give you plenty of fiber.

In addition, some studies have linked regular legume consumption with a lower risk of breast cancer. One such study showed that women who ate more beans had a lower risk of breast cancer, leading researchers to suggest that beans may be just as effective as fruits and vegetables in reducing breast cancer risk.

Fatty fish

Not all fats are bad for you. Some fats, such as those present in fatty fishes like salmon and tuna, might actually help lower breast cancer risk. Experts suggest this benefit may have something to do with how the beneficial fatty acids in fatty fishes, called omega-3 fatty acids, fight inflammation, which is linked to breast cancer.

In one study, rodents that ate eight to 25 percent of their calories as omega-3 fats had a 20–35 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer. Meanwhile, another study on 3,000 women showed that those who ate high levels of omega-3 fats had a 25 percent lower risk of breast cancer recurrence over the next seven years.

But don’t fret if you’re on a vegan or vegetarian diet. Many plant-based foods like seeds, nuts and olive oil boast high amounts of omega-3s, too.

What you eat affects your odds of developing breast cancer. So if you want to raise your chances of living a long and cancer-free life, eat a healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish.

Sources:

BreastCancer.org

Cancer.org

MedicalNewsToday.com

ScienceDaily.com

Healthline.com

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