Why You Should Try Eating Broccoli More for the Prevention of Breast Cancer?

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Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women. It’s also the second most commonly diagnosed malignant tumor in women. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent yourself from having it or reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

In addition to exercising regularly, it’s also ideal to avoid the nasty habit of smoking. Yes, smoking won’t only cause lung cancer but it may also lead to the development of malignant tumor in your breast.

But is there a breast cancer prevention diet that you can follow?

Scientists are still working on finding out which food groups can protect you against breast tumors. But they do concur that eating plenty of vegetables can already protect you against various diseases, including cancer.

What vegetable should you start eating?

Vegetables are known for their vitamins and minerals. If you’re going to eat more of them, you should prioritize broccoli.

In various laboratory studies, the sulforaphane found in this veggie showed to stop breast cancer cells in growing. It also encouraged them to self-destruct.

Apart from sulforaphane, scientists also found that the indole-3 carbinol in this vegetable inhibited estrogen’s power in promoting the growth of breast cancer cells.

But the results aren’t only shown in animal studies. Human studies were also conducted showing how beneficial broccoli is in preventing breast cancer.

Premenopausal women who frequently eat broccoli had reduced their risk of having this type of cancer by up to 40%, compared to those who don’t eat broccoli.

Should you limit to broccoli?

You should also try eating other cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. They, too, contain the protective powers of broccoli. The nice thing is that they also protect you against colon cancer.

How much should you be eating?

You should eat at least four servings of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables each week. Each serving should be about ½ cup.

If you can’t take the taste of this type of vegetable, you can try adding it to your pasta sauces or pizza toppings.

Or, you can stir-fry it, rather than boiling it. Microwaving it is also ideal as it can conserve the vegetable’s protective compounds.

Sources:

Janey Danes
Janey is a licensed laboratory scientist. She's also a blogger and loves to play tennis. You can find her work at Vimchi, Travel Philippines and Medical Technology Avenue.