Health Sabz

Breast Cancer Diet: Food That Can Help

Breast cancer is increasingly harming women, and it is a kind of risk that is easy to treat personally.

Except for one factor, heredity, other risk factors can be controlled to prevent the risk of this disease. 

Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

A risk factor can be anything that can increase our chances of having a disease, like breast cancer. Many risk factors for breast cancer are connected to our habits, such as exercise and diet. Some of the significant lifestyle-related risk factors are alcohol consumption and being overweight.

Alcohol consumption undoubtedly leads to an increased risk of breast cancer. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of getting cancer. When you compare non-alcoholics, women who consume one drink of alcohol per day can have a minimal risk of cancer.

Women who consume two to three drinks per day have a higher rate of 20% risk as compared to non-drinker women, where extreme consumption of alcohol tends to increase the risk of other cancers too significantly.

According to the American Cancer Society, women should not consume more than one alcoholic drink per day.

Being obese or overweight is another high-risk factor in the case of breast cancer, especially after menopause. Ovaries produce most of a woman’s estrogen before menopause, and a minimal amount is generated from fat tissues.

But after menopause, when the ovary’s function ceases and stops making estrogen, many women’s estrogen is produced from fats. So, the body needs more fat muscles, and it can increase estrogen levels, which increases our chance of having breast cancer.

Furthermore, obese women are likely to have raised the level of insulin in their bodies, and a higher level of insulin can lead to some cancers, including breast cancer.

Dietary Choices for Breast Cancer

While there is no such diet or food that can reduce breast cancer, it can indeed make a difference.

Breast cancer is complex, but research indicates that it is controllable, and diet is responsible for 30–40% of cancer types.

Since breast cancer can start in different ways and in different places, it needs other treatments. Some specific foods play a crucial role in cancer.

A healthy diet, in general, helps to prevent the development of cancerous cells, such as:

  • Colorful vegetables and fruits
  • High-fiber foods, legumes, beans, and whole grains
  • Dairy products or low-fat milk
  • Vitamin D foods
  • Soybean products
  • Spices and foods with anti-inflammatory properties

According to a study, 91,000 women discovered that many plants can reduce breast cancer development risk by 15%.

Vegetables and fruits are high in carotenoids, and flavonoids provide several medical benefits. Given that foods are best to stop the progression of breast cancer,

  • Leafy green vegetables
  • Tomatoes, carrots, and apples
  • Peppers, citrus fruit, eggplant
  • Broccoli, onions, and kale
  • Peaches, strawberries, and pear

In addition to this, dietary fibers are protective agents because they regulate the elimination of waste from the body and limit damage.

Legumes, whole grains, and beans contain antioxidants that support the digestive system. Lentils are fiber-rich legumes that can reduce cancer risk.

Good fat seems less friendly for the prevention of breast cancer but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for the body. They are present in seeds, nuts, olive oil, and avocado.

Healthy Minerals and Vitamins

Omega-3-fatty acid, available in herring fish, is a good candidate for reducing risk. Experts recommend that 20–30% of the daily calories should be from fat, with not more than 8% of calories from saturated fat.

The research identified soy as a healthy source of minerals, vitamins, healthy fat, protein, and low carbohydrates. Soy can reduce the lipoprotein density (lousy cholesterol). 

Tempeh, tofu, soy milk, edamame, and soy nuts are the best foods that provide soy.

Eating a balanced diet daily can lower the cancer risk since it would produce fewer tumors. Research studies found that cruciferous vegetables, yellow and orange vegetables, and broccoli can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer. 

Intake of fresh and healthy food built-in power in the body that can fight cancer cells.  International Journal of Cancer provided that potential risk factors include smoking status, weight, age, and history of the family. But, if regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is carried out, risk factors will be reduced.

The more aggressive tumors, such as ER-negative, basal-like, and HER2-enriched, can show lower symptoms if high consumption of vegetables and fruits occurs.

In a study, women who ate fruits and vegetables more than 5.5 servings daily appeared to have 11% less risk of breast cancer than women who consumed 2.5% or fewer servings.

Usually, a serving is half a cup of raw/cooked vegetables, one cup of leafy raw vegetables, or a half cup of cooked or chopped fruits. This ensures a healthy diet and a healthy advantage for cancer patients.

Avoid These Foods

Science is continuously investigating food’s impact on cancer, and following foods should avoid breast cancer.

  • Regular consumption of alcohol aggravates the risk of cancer. It also damages DNA cells.
  • Avoid a diet rich in sugar since it develops mammary gland tumors that metastasize or spread quickly.
  • Processed food fats are harmful to get along. Trans fats are not friendly, and donuts, fried food, crackers, and cookies should be avoided.
  • According to some studies, red meat is not very healthy for cancer patients. Cold cuts, salty, and high-fat meat can increase cancer risk.

Miscellaneous Tips

Daily exposure to sunlight offers Vitamin D that can help with breast cancer. It is present in fortified products, eggs, and cold-water fish. In case of low Vitamin D, you should consider supplements by doctor’s consultation.

  • Several benefits are attributable to green tea, i.e., supporting the immune system and lowering breast cancer risk.
  • The yellow spice turmeric is helpful for its anti-inflammatory properties and can inhibit cancerous cells.
  • Lower your body weight to improve your well-being since obesity is a common risk factor for certain diseases.
  • Stay active physically by eating healthy food because it is essential to prevent cancer. Exercise is the best solution.

Leave a Reply