Healthy Plant-Based Diet Linked to 22% Lower Breast Cancer Risk

Women who stick to a diet rich in healthy plant foods have a 22% lower risk of breast cancer after menopause, a 21-year French study has found.

Researchers from Inserm and Paris-Saclay University followed 65,574 postmenopausal women in the E3N cohort from 1993 to 2014, scoring their diets twice over that time. There were 3,968 breast cancer cases. Women with high adherence to the healthful plant-based diet index, which rewards whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and pulses, had a 22% lower risk than those with low adherence. An unhealthy plant-based diet heavy in refined grains, sweets and sugary drinks was linked to 20% higher risk. The results held across breast cancer subtypes and are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

This is observational research and the biggest benefit was seen at moderate-to-high rather than the very highest scores. The authors conclude in the paper:

These results emphasize the importance of the quality of plant foods for cancer prevention.

Swapping white bread and sweets for whole grains, beans and berries is a simple place to start.

Back in 2018 we reported that just 9 grams of processed meat a day can raise breast cancer risk, and earlier this week a healthy plant-based diet was linked to 44% lower pancreatic cancer risk.

Plants are looking after women's health!