Can Diet Prevent Breast Cancer?

By eating some foods and avoiding others, women may reduce their risk of breast cancer. Here’s how:

• Try soy. A chemical in soybeans may offer protection from breast cancer.
• Limit red and fried meats to less than three ounces a day.
• Add fiber through whole grains and beans.
• Keep fat to less than 20 to 30% of your daily calories. A diet higher in total fat may contribute to breast cancer. But research is unclear about whether certain types of dietary fat increase breast cancer risk.

It may also help to eat more fruits and vegetables. Some studies have suggested a link between eating more fruits and vegetables and a lowered risk of breast cancer. It may be that only specific fruits and vegetables are protective. Until more is known, it’s probably best to eat a wide variety of these foods.

The government’s dietary guidelines suggest three to five vegetable servings and two to four fruit servings daily. A serving is equal to 1/2 cup for most fresh or cooked vegetables, or a cup for raw, leafy green vegetables. A serving also is a medium-sized piece of fruit, 1/2 cup of canned or cooked fruit, or 3/4 cup of fruit or vegetable juice.

Loading up on fruits and vegetables and limiting fat may offer an added benefit: weight management. Being overweight may raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer.

For more information about the prevention of breast cancer, call South Central’s Health Information Line at 426-0506.

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