Nutrition and Breast Cancer

News reports abound detailing the many studies linking certain foods to an increased or decreased risk of breast cancer leaving many women confused. Should you add foods to your diet? Should you eliminate others? And then there’s exercise. How much is enough?

Here are some clear answers to common questions about breast cancer, nutrition and exercise.

Remember: always consult with your doctor before making dietary changes.

Does drinking coffee cause breast cancer?

Caffeine in coffee may worsen symptoms of fibrocystic breast lumps (a type of benign breast disease) in some women, but there is no evidence that it increases the risk of breast cancer or other types of cancer.1

Does alcohol increase your risk for breast cancer?

Research shows that alcohol does raise the risk of breast cancer. Women who drink alcohol should limit their intake to no more than 1 drink per day. A drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Even a regular intake of a few drinks per week is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer.1

What is folate, and can it prevent breast cancer?

Folate is a B vitamin found in many vegetables, beans, fruits, whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals. Many grain products in the United States have been fortified with folate. A diet deficient in folate may increase the risk of breast cancer, especially in women who drink alcoholic beverages a few times a week. Current evidence suggests that to reduce
cancer risk, it is best to get your intake of folate by consuming vegetables, fruits and enriched grain products.1

Does being overweight increase breast cancer risk?

Yes, being overweight will increase the risk of breast cancer, especially in post menopausal women. Research shows that weight loss can help to lower risk of breast cancer. Women should aim to maintain a healthy weight by balancing their calorie intake with physical activity.3

Will physical activity help decrease the risk of breast cancer?

Maintaining an active lifestyle can help reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Woman should aim to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity three to four times a week. Physical activity is part of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, which can in turn also lower cancer risk.3

Do artificial sweeteners cause breast cancer?

Saccharin: According to the FDA, the artificial sweetener saccharin (Sweet n Low) does not cause breast or any other cancer. Since there is no evidence to support claims that saccharin causes serious health implications, it has been removed from the list of human carcinogens from the US National Toxicology Program.4

Aspartame: Current evidence does not show any links between aspartame (Equal) use and increased risk for breast cancer.4

Sucralose: According to the FDA, sucralose (Splenda) is safe and has been approved for use as an artificial sweetener.1 The safety of these products are based on the review of more than 110 studies involving animals and humans.

Stevia: According to the MayoClinic, studies have not yet concluded the safety of pure stevia, but highly refined versions of stevia (Truvia, Purvia) are on the FDA’s generally recognized as safe (GRAS) list.2

1.American Cancer Society. Common questions about diet and cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/EatHealthyGetActive/ACSGuidelinesonNutritionPhysicalActivityforCancerPrevention/acs-guidelineson-
nutrition-and-physical-activity-for-cancer-prevention-diet-cancer-questions
2. Mayo Clinic. Stevia: Can it help with weight control? http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stevia/AN01733
3. MayoClinic. Breast cancer prevention: How to reduce your risk. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancerprevention/
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4. MayoClinic. Low Calorie Sweeteners: Sweet and Safe. http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2008-mchi/4786.html