10 myths about nutrition and breast cancer punctured

Myth 1: Low sugar diet reduces cancer risk

Sugar (glucose) is the fuel of all cells in the human body, including cancer cells. Cancer cells typically consume even more sugar than healthy cells. When you delete sugar from the menu, all body cells are in need and your body will break down muscle and other cells to provide enough sugar to keep vital organs, such as the brain, healthy. The sugar released when cells break down is more than enough to keep cancer cells alive, too. You can't starve them. By the way, fruits and vegetables are also full of sugars.

Myth 2: Low-fat diet reduces cancer risk

Being overweight increases the risk of breast cancer. A high-fat diet can lead to obesity, but eliminating fat from your diet is not the best way to prevent cancer, even to lose weight. Sugars and proteins also contain calories and can make you fat if you eat too much of them. Fat is necessary for good health. Preferably vegetable fats.

Myth 3: Frozen foods reduce your immunity and increase cancer risk

Frozen foods sometimes contain more nutrients than fresh foods. If you leave a packet of carrots or a bag of fresh lettuce in the refrigerator for a week, its vitamin content has already shrunk considerably. In contrast, frozen foods retain their vitamins and minerals longer because they are frozen immediately after harvesting. You can keep them longer and the quality is often excellent.

Myth 4: Vegetable juice detoxifies your body and reduces your risk of cancer

There is nothing wrong with vegetable juices, but they do not detoxify in any way. We have a liver and two kidneys that take care of removing toxins from our bodies. A juice cleanse adds nothing to that.

Myth 5: Prevent cancer with superfoods

Broccoli is no healthier than an eggplant or a zucchini. Superfood is a marketing term used to promote certain vegetables or supplements with so-called anti-cancer properties. However, there is no supplement nor any specific vegetable that prevents the risk of cancer. However, all vegetables do fit into a healthy diet and benefit your health. Variety is the best advice.

Myth 6: If you exercise, you can eat whatever you want

Sufficient exercise is also a way to prevent your risk of breast cancer, probably because athletic women (and men) are less likely to be overweight, and being overweight increases the risk of breast cancer. However, exercise alone will not keep your weight under control. An athletic lifestyle also does not compensate for unhealthy eating habits.

Myth 7: Don't eat soy. They can cause or worsen breast cancer

Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are substances with a structure akin to estrogen, the female hormone that plays a role in hormone-sensitive breast cancers. Therefore, there is concern that soy, found in products such as soy milk, tofu or miso, may also cause breast cancer or stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. The link between soy and breast cancer has been studied extensively and there is no reason for concern. You can feel free to eat soy products even if you have breast cancer.

Myth 8: Ginseng boosts your immune system and reduces your cancer risk

Ginseng is a plant to which various medicinal properties have been attributed for centuries. Various forms exist: capsules, teas, dried root to even creams for external use. Ginseng is also promoted to prevent or help fight cancer, but breast cancer patients are best not to take it, as there is evidence that ginseng does stimulate the growth of a hormone-dependent breast cancer.

Myth 9: Flaxseed oil reduces risk of hormone-sensitive cancers

Linseed is seed of the flax plant. The seeds are high in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. For this reason, people sometimes add a scoop of flaxseeds to their oatmeal or yogurt, a healthy habit. Flaxseeds and the oil extracted from flaxseeds are also used to prevent hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast cancer. The seed and oil contain substances (lignans) that are thought to displace the female hormone estrogen in the body, reducing the risk of breast cancer. There is currently insufficient evidence for this. Note that one to three tablespoons of flaxseed a day is toxic.

Myth 10: The raw food diet prevents chronic diseases and cancer

Adepts of raw food are convinced that food in its purest form is the best way to prevent chronic diseases and cancer. Cooking and other methods of preparation would destroy many healthy substances, they argue. Because the raw food diet is high in fruits and vegetables, it may not be unhealthy per se, but so far raw food has not been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.

What then?

Healthy eating habits, with five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, as provided by dietary recommendations, reduce the risk of most cancers, including breast cancer, comprehensive population studies show. Regular exercise, with at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous activity, also bring down cancer risk. Watching your weight, eating healthy, getting enough exercise and consuming alcohol are the best ways to reduce your risk of cancer or relapse after cancer. Moreover, healthy lifestyle habits are also good for all organs throughout your body.

Have questions about dietary supplements and cancer? Be sure to check out the supplements guide from the Foundation Against Cancer: https://www.kanker.be/voedingssupplementen