High consumption of olive oil reduces risk of breast cancer

Breast cancer, one of the most deadly cancer can now be prevented through Mediterranean dietary pattern, study shows.

A new study in Spain found high consumption of olive oil can help lower risk of breast cancer. Research suggest that women can reduce risk of the disease through Mediterranean dietary pattern with virgin olive oil on it. With only four tablespoons per day of extra-virgin olive oil, it reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Consuming extra-virgin olive oil as part of a Mediterranean diet found less likely to develop breast cancer over the next five years with high percentage reduced risk. While women eating a low-fat diet found high risk to such disease. Olive oil is known for its many benefits, it has been used for religious rituals, medicines, as a fuel in oil lamps, soap-making, and skin care application and is used throughout the world and is often associated with Mediterranean countries.

Miguel Martinez Gonzalez, an author of the study and a leading researcher on the preventive health effects of the Mediterranean diet at the University of Navarra in Spain stated, “We found a strong reduction in the risk of breast cancer. The results of the PREDIMED trial suggest a beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil in the primary prevention of breast cancer.”

“We have now evidence to support that olive oil is causally related to reduction in risk of breast cancer. Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet that replaces most desserts with fruit, limits beverage intake to mostly water or red wine, reduces dairy intake and keeps red meat consumption to once a week or less,” Martinez-Gonzalez added.

Extra virgin olive oil found to have element which help fight against cancer. This includes oleocanthal, found to block the spread of breast cancer cells; oleuropein which induce breast cancer cells to self-destruct, hydroxytyrosol that counteracts damage to breast cells and lastly the lignans associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Researchers wrote, “The Mediterranean dietary pattern has attracted considerable attention because, historically, breast cancer rates have been lower in Mediterranean countries than in Northern or Central European countries or the United States.” Including high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products, moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of non-fish meat and non-fish meat products as part of the diet. IMAGE/USDA/Creative Commons

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