You may be able to decrease your breast cancer risk with the Mediterranean diet
There is increasing evidence that following the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of breast cancer. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical nutrition says that the Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. As a powerful and manageable method, the Mediterranean diet may help to fight cancer.
Why the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet provides many vitamins such as vitamin C and E, which play an important role in neutralizing free radicals and preventing DNA damage. Additionally, the Mediterranean Diet includes lower-calorie foods, high-fiber foods, and healthy fats that may reduce the risk of weight gain and obesity. Weight gain and obesity are also risk factors for breast cancer.
Let’s look more closely at specific foods within the Mediterranean diet to reduce breast cancer risk.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is well-known as one of the key elements in the Mediterranean diet. Most notably, it contains powerful antioxidants called phenols that reduce free radicals which lowers chronic inflammation. Phenols can reduce oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which is believed to be a leading cause of cancer.
Try this home-made herb hummus recipe from Simple Green Smoothies using olive oil!
Plant-based Foods
This diet contains plenty of legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables. Eating a diet of mostly plants is linked with a lower cancer risk and is one of the American Institute for Cancer Research’s recommendations for cancer prevention.
Here is another recipe, Vegan Taco Salad, from Simple Green Smoothies to help you include more plant-based foods.
Microbiome
Breast glands have a microbiome as shown by new research. “Microbiome” refers to a variety of living organisms, good bacteria, that populate our bodies. Like your gut microbiome, the research shows that breast glands can be affected by our microbiome. In a recent study, the Mediterranean diet group had 10 times more Lactobacillus in the breast glands. Furthermore, these bacteria have been shown to slow growth in breast tumors. The researchers say that shifting the breast microbiome through probiotic foods, such as kombucha, yogurt, sauerkraut, and miso soup, may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
Phytoestrogen (dietary estrogen)
Dietary estrogen is naturally occurring plant-derived compound that can be found in mainly soy foods, soybeans, flaxseed, sesame seeds, oats or beans. What’s important to understand, is that dietary estrogen is not the same as hormone estrogen. Although they have similar chemical structures, dietary estrogen has been shown to lower inflammation in various tumor models to help fight cancer.
This Build-Your-Own Buddha Bowl recipe from cookie + Kate will help you include more soy foods into your diet.
As we can see, there is a lot of evidence suggesting that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of breast cancer. To learn more about following the Mediterranean diet, contact Carrie Weitzel to schedule your nutrition visit!
Dietetic Intern from University of Northern Colorado
Yaya Shankin