Diet Rich In Fruits And Vegetables May Reduce Risk Of Breast Cancer

A study has recently discovered that women who consume a high amount of fruits and vegetables have a reduced risk of breast cancer as compared to the women who don’t. This study was conducted by the researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and they also found out that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and yellow and orange vegetables were found to reduce breast cancer.

Healthy Diet And Cancer

“Although prior studies have suggested an association, they have been limited in power, particularly for specific fruits and vegetables and aggressive subtypes of breast cancer,” said first author Maryam Farvid, research scientist in the Department of Nutrition reports the Science Daily. “This research provides the most complete picture of the importance of consuming high amounts of fruit and vegetables for breast cancer prevention.”

The Research

The study has been conducted over a significant period of time after a diet analysis of more than 80,000 women. The researchers have collated and analysed diet questionnaires that were submitted every four years at the Nurses’ Health Study (88,301 women, starting in 1980) and the Nurses’ Health Study II (93,844 women, starting in 1991). They did not only analyse the diet but also cancer related factors like age, weight, smoking status, and family cancer history.

The study after their insightful analysis found out that the women who ate 5.5 servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis were at 11 percent reduced risk of breast cancer. This was in comparison with the women who consumed 2.5 or even lesser servings of fruits and vegetables. “While a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables is associated with many other health benefits, our results may provide further impetus for women to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables,” said senior author Heather Eliassen, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Chan School and associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.