Eating fiber-containing foods—especially nuts—during adolescence may significantly lower the risk of developing potentially precancerous fibrocystic breast disease (fibroadenomas).
Tree Nuts or Peanuts for Breast Cancer Prevention?
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
The Black Women’s Health Study, which highlighted collards and carrots, was out of Boston University. Across the Charles River, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study also tried to determine which plants were particularly protective in reducing breast cancer risk, and they identified nuts.
“The intake of fiber and nuts during adolescence and incidence of proliferative benign breast disease”—such as fibrocystic breast disease; fibroadenomas; noncancerous breast lumps—but, is considered a marker for increased breast cancer risk. Depending on what biopsies show, it could indicate anywhere from 30% to 1,300% greater risk of going on to develop cancer.
Breast cancer can take decades to develop, so they wanted to start early, asking women what their diets were like back in high school. Now in adults, it’s clear, as you can see in this 2012 review: the more fiber you get in your diet, the lower your risk of breast cancer. And, same thing, apparently, when you’re younger. Women who had the most fiber intake during adolescence have a 25% lower risk of this potentially precancerous breast disease.
But, there’s fiber in fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds—all plant foods. Did any class of plant foods stick out? Nuts were found to be particularly protective. Two servings a week was associated with a 36% lower risk.
But, that raises the question, which type of nuts? Like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Or, do you have to eat true nuts, like almonds, pecans, walnuts, that sort of thing? Just tree nuts, or peanuts as well? And the answer is: both.
Compared to those who rarely ate nuts, those eating just one or two handfuls a week during high school appeared to drop risk around 30%. “In summary, [their] study observed significant inverse associations between adolescent dietary intake of fiber and nuts and risk of proliferative benign breast disease. Our results provide supportive evidence of the important role of dietary exposures during a unique period in a woman’s life in the earlier stage of breast carcinogenesis [the early stage of breast cancer development]. These findings, if corroborated, may suggest a viable means for breast cancer prevention.”
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- Su X, Tamimi RM, Collins LC, Baer HJ, Cho E, Sampson L, Willett WC, Schnitt SJ, Connolly JL, Rosner BA, Colditz GA. Intake of fiber and nuts during adolescence and incidence of proliferative benign breast disease. Cancer Causes Control. 2010 Jul;21(7):1033-46.
- Boggs DA, Palmer JR, Wise LA, Spiegelman D, Stampfer MJ, Adams-Campbell LL, Rosenberg L. Fruit and vegetable intake in relation to risk of breast cancer in the Black Women's Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Dec 1;172(11):1268-79.
- Aune D, Chan DS, Greenwood DC, Vieira AR, Rosenblatt DA, Vieira R, Norat T. Dietary fiber and breast cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Ann Oncol. 2012 Jun;23(6):1394-402.
Images thanks to s58y and Ebelien via flickr
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
The Black Women’s Health Study, which highlighted collards and carrots, was out of Boston University. Across the Charles River, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study also tried to determine which plants were particularly protective in reducing breast cancer risk, and they identified nuts.
“The intake of fiber and nuts during adolescence and incidence of proliferative benign breast disease”—such as fibrocystic breast disease; fibroadenomas; noncancerous breast lumps—but, is considered a marker for increased breast cancer risk. Depending on what biopsies show, it could indicate anywhere from 30% to 1,300% greater risk of going on to develop cancer.
Breast cancer can take decades to develop, so they wanted to start early, asking women what their diets were like back in high school. Now in adults, it’s clear, as you can see in this 2012 review: the more fiber you get in your diet, the lower your risk of breast cancer. And, same thing, apparently, when you’re younger. Women who had the most fiber intake during adolescence have a 25% lower risk of this potentially precancerous breast disease.
But, there’s fiber in fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds—all plant foods. Did any class of plant foods stick out? Nuts were found to be particularly protective. Two servings a week was associated with a 36% lower risk.
But, that raises the question, which type of nuts? Like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Or, do you have to eat true nuts, like almonds, pecans, walnuts, that sort of thing? Just tree nuts, or peanuts as well? And the answer is: both.
Compared to those who rarely ate nuts, those eating just one or two handfuls a week during high school appeared to drop risk around 30%. “In summary, [their] study observed significant inverse associations between adolescent dietary intake of fiber and nuts and risk of proliferative benign breast disease. Our results provide supportive evidence of the important role of dietary exposures during a unique period in a woman’s life in the earlier stage of breast carcinogenesis [the early stage of breast cancer development]. These findings, if corroborated, may suggest a viable means for breast cancer prevention.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Su X, Tamimi RM, Collins LC, Baer HJ, Cho E, Sampson L, Willett WC, Schnitt SJ, Connolly JL, Rosner BA, Colditz GA. Intake of fiber and nuts during adolescence and incidence of proliferative benign breast disease. Cancer Causes Control. 2010 Jul;21(7):1033-46.
- Boggs DA, Palmer JR, Wise LA, Spiegelman D, Stampfer MJ, Adams-Campbell LL, Rosenberg L. Fruit and vegetable intake in relation to risk of breast cancer in the Black Women's Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Dec 1;172(11):1268-79.
- Aune D, Chan DS, Greenwood DC, Vieira AR, Rosenblatt DA, Vieira R, Norat T. Dietary fiber and breast cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Ann Oncol. 2012 Jun;23(6):1394-402.
Images thanks to s58y and Ebelien via flickr
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Tree Nuts or Peanuts for Breast Cancer Prevention?
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Harvard also found that fiber and nut consumption was associated with a significantly longer lifespan in women. See What Women Should Eat to Live Longer. Soy consumption during adolescence also seems particularly protective; see Why Do Asian Women Have Less Breast Cancer? The reference to the Black Women’s Health Study refers to Preventing Breast Cancer By Any Greens Necessary. What effect might even just a few weeks on a diet full of plants have on breast cancer cell growth? See The Answer to the Pritikin Puzzle. Don’t nuts make you fat, though? You’d be surprised; see Nuts and Obesity: The Weight of Evidence.
Also, check out my associated blog posts for more context: Go Nuts for Breast Cancer Prevention, and Breast Cancer & Alcohol: How Much Is Safe?
If you’re thinking, wait, wasn’t this yesterday’s video? Alas, in 2013 I’m dropping down to new videos only every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; see my email newsletter this morning.
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