The Mediterranean diet is well known as a heart healthy diet. It puts emphasis on fresh and organic foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs and spices. Fats are replaced with healthy fats like organic olive oil and red meat is limited to a few times a month. Herbs and spices are used to flavor foods instead of salt, and fish and poultry are consumed about twice a week.
New research from the University of Navarra in Pamplona and CIBEROBN in Madrid, Spain shows that the Mediterranean diet and olive oil reduces breast cancer risk.
Breast cancer is frequently diagnosed and is one of the leading causes of death in women.
Miguel A. Martínez-González, M.D., of the University of Navarra and his research team observed the effects of the groups who receieved 1 liter of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) per week for them and their families, or 30 grams of mixed nuts per day (walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds).
The researchers reported that after the study, the women who ate a Mediterranean diet combined with EVOO showed a 68 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to the control group.
The authors wrote:
“The results of the PREDIMED trial suggest a beneficial effect of a MeDiet [Mediterranean diet] supplemented with EVOO in the primary prevention of breast cancer. Preventive strategies represent the most sensible approach against cancer. The intervention paradigm implemented in the PREDIMED trial provides a useful scenario for breast cancer prevention because it is conducted in primary health care centers and also offers beneficial effects on a wide variety of health outcomes. Nevertheless, these results need confirmation by long-term studies with a higher number of incident cases.”
The study showing that Mediterranean diet and olive oil reduces breast cancer risk was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Mediterranean Diet Plus Olive Oil Associated with Reduced Breast Cancer Risk.” JAMA Network. JAMA Network, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
2. “Mediterranean Diet and Invasive Breast Cancer Risk Among Women at High Cardiovascular Risk in the PREDIMED Trial.” JAMA Internal Medicine. JAMA Network, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
3. “Mediterranean Diet for Heart Health.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
