Walnuts Decrease Breast Cancer Risks

Breast cancer incidence sharply lowered in mice

(RxWiki News) What if you could eat a single food that would decrease your risk of getting breast cancer? Scientists have just such a food you may want to consider adding to your diet.

Mice that ate walnuts on a regular basis had a significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new Marshall University study.

"Eating walnuts regularly could reduce your breast cancer risks."

Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., of Marshall's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, led the study that compared a typical diet with one containing walnuts.

The study looked at the effect of diet across the lifespan and included female mice that had been genetically programmed to develop cancer.

What was used in the study would be about two ounces of walnuts a day for humans.

Researchers found that the walnut diet group developed cancer at less than half the rate of those consuming a typical diet. And when tumors did appear, they were smaller.

Researchers found that the walnut diet changed genes that are associated with breast cancer in both mice and humans.

Hardman notes that other studies have shown that the healthy fats and other ingredients in walnuts reduce cancer risks or slow the growth of existing cancers. Tumor growth has been decreased when vitamin E levels are increased.

Hardman says and what we put in our mouth on a regular basis really does make a big difference in our health. She adds the simple things matter - eating right, getting off the couch and turning off the TV.

This study was published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.

Review Date: 
September 7, 2011