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Some Phytoestrogens & Green Tea Show Promise For Breast Cancer
Holistic nutrition is rooted in the sentiment that food is medicine. Though modern medicine is a lifesaver, research continuously shows that certain foods can also help us live longer, healthier lives.
For those who have had breast cancer, a holistic nutrition study may be of particular interest. It looked at how food choices seem to impact one's risk of negative disease outcomes and recurrence—and the results are quite promising. Let's dive in.
Soy, enterolactone, and green tea may help breast cancer outcomes
A meta-analysis and systematic review published in the journal JNCI Cancer Spectrum analyzed 32 studies and found that consumption of soy, enterolactone, and green tea may help reduce some negative breast cancer outcomes1.
According to the analysis, people who ate soy isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen, had a 26% reduction in breast cancer recurrence. Consumption of enterolactone, a phytoestrogen found in foods like sesame seeds and flaxseeds, was associated with a 28% reduction in cancer-specific mortality. As for green tea, researchers concluded those who drank it had a 44% lower risk of breast cancer recurrence for stages I and II breast cancer.
For soy consumption specifically, the greatest risk-reduction outcome aligned with 60 milligrams of soy isoflavones per day—a supplement-grade dose. (For context, one serving of tofu or soy milk typically packs around 25 mg of isoflavones2.)
The findings on enterolactone and soy isoflavones are particularly important because, historically, there has been a lot of confusion around how phytoestrogens like soy impact breast cancer risk.
What are phytoestrogens?
It's important to note that only a few of the studies included monitored post-diagnostic eating habits, meaning the majority of positive results came when people ate these foods before their breast cancer diagnosis. We need more studies on post-diagnosis food choices to see what kind of impact those can have.
The 9 foods to add to your grocery list
Beyond their potential impact on breast cancer, the food groups highlighted in this research come with additional health benefits like providing plant protein, boosting antioxidant intake, and supporting digestive health.
Here are a few things to add to your grocery list to up your intake:
- Tofu
- Green tea
- Sesame seeds
- Flaxseed
- Soy milk
- Tempeh
- Matcha
- Berries
- Oats
Editor's note
The takeaway
A research review found that soy, enterolactone, and green tea may help to reduce some negative breast cancer outcomes. Given the grocery list above, it makes sense that previous research has found that those who follow a Mediterranean-style diet tend to have a lower risk of breast cancer. You can read all about that study here if you want to learn more.
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