6 Most Important Nutrients for Breast Health: Antioxidants, Omega-3s, and More

When it comes to breast health, the food you eat really matters. If you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer, you should get to know which nutrients make up a healthy diet for breast tissue.

In the next paragraphs, you’ll learn how to get more of the many nutrients for healthy breasts, including antioxidants from green tea, vitamin D from food sources like eggs and fatty fish like tuna or sardines, fiber-containing foods such as beans, and broccoli which supports detoxification and estrogen levels.

What foods can help prevent breast cancer?

Breast cancer affects nearly 1 in 8 women born in the U.S. at some point in their lives (1). Genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors like diet can all influence your risk of developing breast cancer. Studies have shown though, that some behaviors, like smoking and drinking, increase your risk of breast cancer, while certain foods–like fiber-rich veggies and antioxidants–can actually reduce the chance for cancer cell growth and reduce breast cancer risk.

It’s important to remember, though, that even with a healthy diet, there’s still a need for regular breast cancer screening including mammograms. But here are the 6 best foods for reducing the risk of breast cancer development and promoting breast health.

6 Nutrients to Add to Your Diet for Breast Cancer Prevention

Fiber from beans, legumes, lentils

Dietary fiber plays a big role in reducing breast cancer risk. It is especially found in beans, legumes and lentils, and foods like whole grains. This food group has been shown to support estrogen levels which may protect against breast cancer (2).

Fiber from plant-based foods helps excess hormones like estrogen leave your body once it’s done its job. This is important because harmful estrogen metabolites can recirculate through the body

and impact estrogen-sensitive cancers (including some types of breast cancer).

Get more fiber from:

Beans
Lentils
Dark, leafy greens
Pears, peaches, and raspberries
Minimally processed grains like quinoa, oats, flax, barley, or buckwheat

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Cruciferous vegetables

Vegetables that are part of the brassica family–that’s broccoli, cauliflower, and others–contain a beneficial compound known as indole-3-carbinol. This compound helps the body metabolize estrogen more effectively, which can help reduce a woman’s risk of certain types of breast cancer (3).

Arugula
Kale
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Leeks

Cruciferous veggies also contain another compound called diindolylmethane (DIM) which is also helpful for supporting a healthy balance in hormones (4).

DIM can be especially helpful for estrogen dominance symptoms like PMS, painful breasts, or mood swings, acne breakouts around your period.

Vitamin D

Studies indicate an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk of tumor growth and breast cancer (5). This is because vitamin D plays a big role in instructing your immune cells what to do. This allows for a robust immune response when your body detects any abnormality in it’s cells, including cancerous cells.

Breast cancer isn’t the only health issue influenced by vitamin D. Chronic conditions like autoimmune disorders, depression, and metabolic disorders are all associated with low levels of this nutrient.

Fortunately, there are an abundance of dietary choices to add more vitamin D to your diet. Most of these are animal foods, so if you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, you’ll want to be sure to focus on other sources like mushrooms, fortified milks, and sunshine to mediate cancer risk.

Great sources of vitamin D are:

Egg yolks
Cod liver oil
Mushrooms
Fatty fish like salmon, trout
Fortified milks, cereals, or other foods
Sunlight

For about two-thirds of the country’s population, the skin makes little, if any, vitamin D for more than half the year (6). For this reason, it’s important to optimize your diet if you live in the midwest or northern regions of the country.

Jumpstart better nutrition in just 10 days with my step-by-step plan.

Fermented foods and drinks

Some research suggests that fermented foods like yogurt and kefir may be able to lower your risk for breast cancer because they contain healthy bacteria known as probiotics (7).

Certain probiotic bacteria help metabolize excess hormones which contribute to breast cancer risk. In one analysis of women who had breast cancer, they had a different type and amount of bacteria present than those who did not have breast cancer (7).

The best fermented foods and drinks include:

Kombucha
Kefir
Beet kvass
Fermented vegetables (okra, carrots, cabbage, cucumber)
yogurt or skyr
Kimchi

Get more pre- and probiotics: 7 Foods for a Healthy Gut

Antioxidants

Antioxidants in dark chocolate

There is evidence that consuming antioxidant-rich food can help fight against breast cancer risk. Green tea, for example, has long been used to support cellular health and it may support the immune system. Today, some studies link it to reduced cancer risk thanks to a powerful antioxidant called EGCG which has anti-cancer properties (8). Broccoli also contains an antioxidant called sulforaphane which activates enzymes that detoxify carcinogens before they damage cells and DNA (9).

Berries make small but powerful breast cancer enemies

In studies, women who ate berries 2 to 3 times per week had a lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who didn’t (10). And as a bonus, the antioxidants in berries have also been shown to reduce the risk of depression and mood disorders too!

Love berries? Try my delicious, gluten-free strawberries and cream buckwheat crepes.

Foods highest in antioxidants include:

Green tea
Dark chocolate
Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries)
Artichokes
Kale
Beets
Leafy greens

Omega-3 fats

Studies in humans indicate that consumption of fatty fish reduces their risk of developing breast cancer as these foods are full of anti-inflammatory fats, as well as antioxidants like selenium (11).

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, which is believed to contribute to some cancers, including breast cancer. Because Western diets tend to be high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3s, it’s important to include more food sources of the latter.

The best food choices for getting enough omega-three fats are:

Fresh fish like salmon or tuna
Chia seeds or flaxseeds
Walnuts
Canned fish like sardines, mackerel, or herring

Omega-3 fats are also crucial for overall hormone balance, as well as brain, mood, joint, and immune health.

What’s the best source of omega-3s? Fish or flax?

Tips for Good Breast Health

Breast cancer is still one of the top health issues for women, especially for those who have already gone through menopause. If someone in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s even more important to make informed decisions about behaviors you can start today that will reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

Many of the behaviors that support better breast health are also those that support optimal overall health:

Eat a whole foods diet with plenty of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber.
Get plenty of omega-3 fats and vitamin D.
Add fiber to your diet in the form of green vegetables, minimally processed grains, fruits, and legumes.
Omit processed meat products and alcohol.

For an easy (and tasty) way to support your health, learn more about Belly Fix.

Exercise as a breast cancer preventative

Doctors also encourage women to get daily activity in the form of cardiovascular and strength training. This helps build muscle and boost anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as antioxidants that fight cancer cells and keep you healthy.

Is soy safe?

Soy food contains chemicals called phytoestrogens that can act as a weak estrogen. For this reason, there has been some debate about soy foods (soy milk, tofu, etc.) and an increased risk of breast cancer. However, research shows that soy foods–though not processed soy products–do not increase cancer risks, but may actually decrease the risk of developing or recurring breast cancer for postmenopausal women (12).

Natural soy foods include:

Miso
Organic tofu
Tempeh
Edamame

Foods to Avoid to Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer

Certain foods can also play a role in the development of cancer, including breast cancer. A diet high in processed foods or preserved meats can harm cells and may promote cancer growth.

Toxins like alcohol interfere with estrogen metabolism and harm liver health, which is a problem for estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, and for breast cancer survivors.

Alcohol
Processed meats
Fried foods

Is alcohol off limits?

Drinking alcohol is known to increase estrogen levels in both men and women. Many of us know that excessive drinking can lead to liver problems, but did you also know that it’s linked with increased risk of breast cancer? This is because the same enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase) that breaks down alcohol also metabolizes estrogen.

This means the more you drink, the less your body is able to break down and eliminate excess estrogen in a healthy way, and it may impact the likelihood you’ll develop breast cancer.

In addition, alcohol is high in calories and sugar which can increase insulin levels–and disrupt the delicate hormonal balance that controls estrogen manufacturing.

What about antioxidants in red wine?

Other studies suggest that occasional drinking–such as a glass of wine with dinner–has a positive effect on health. While the effect may be relatively small, wine does contain beneficial compounds like resveratrol, which is beneficial for cellular health and, in some studies, has the benefit of a reduced risk of cancer growth (13).

It’s important to note that the modest amount of beneficial compounds can be quickly outweighed by the toxic effects of alcohol.

Holistic Medicine for Breast Health

Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to promote breast health. Certain nutrients can reduce your risk of breast cancer, and others are important for hormone balance. For prevention against breast cancer, eat plenty of fiber, antioxidant-rich foods, and add dietary fats that are rich in omega 3s. Avoid substances like alcohol and processed foods as they may increase your risk for developing breast cancer.

If you need a step-by-step guide to reset your gut and discover how to make healthy eating easy for you, learn more about my 21-Day Belly Fix.

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