The Best Foods to Eat When You Have Breast Cancer

Role of Diet in Breast Cancer

Dietary patterns and their effect on breast cancer have been extensively studied by several researchers. Consuming a balanced diet that delivers the essential nutrients is important for people with breast cancer. A lifestyle that includes a healthy diet sheds a strong impact on the risk and treatment effects of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most malignant type of cancer among women, globally. It was identified as the leading cause of global cancer surpassing lung cancer in the year 2020. Current trends depict that a larger proportion of the disease occurs among young age Indian women. Breast cancer is manifested by signs and symptoms like a lump in the breast, changes in size or shape of the breast, redness of the breast skin, peeling of skin over the breast, or flaky appearance over the pigmented area of the breast(1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Breast cancer in India: Present scenario and the challenges ahead

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Breast cancer

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To know more about breast cancer, click here.

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Diet Tips for Breast Cancer

While eating healthy foods plays a pivotal role in breast cancer, here are a few diet tips for breast cancer patients to incorporate into their dietary habits.

• Hydration is key. Drinking plenty of fluids is important to stave off dehydration. Staying hydrated also supports in preventing treatment side effects that lead to dehydration such as vomiting and diarrhea.
• Energy-Dense Foods help in meeting the energy requirements. Consuming small, frequent meals helps in maintaining energy throughout the day and boosts appetite.
• Protein-Rich Foods should be of prime focus to achieve optimal treatment outcomes. The requirement for protein increases in cancer and may vary between individuals depending on several factors such as age, body weight, gender, health condition, and activity status.
• Balanced Diet: Focusing on a balanced diet supplies the body with all essential nutrients such as protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals(3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  The Best Foods To Eat When You Have Breast Cancer
  
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Foods to Consume During Breast Cancer Treatment

The treatment for breast cancer depends on the type, stage, grade, and size of the tumor. Most women are suggested to undergo surgery for breast cancer while some may receive additional treatments after surgery like hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation. For some patients, chemotherapy is suggested even before surgery(2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Breast cancer

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Consuming nutritious foods that provide the essential vitamins, minerals, and naturally occurring compounds that upgrade health is important when undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Below are some best foods for breast cancer patients during chemotherapy.

Fruits and Vegetables: Vegetables and fruits serve as reservoirs of natural antioxidants. Its regular intake supplies adequate dietary fiber and polyphenols that provide resistance against tumorigenesis. They also help in counteracting the estrogen-signaling pathway by inhibiting estrogen receptors or enzymes that are responsible for the production of estrogen. Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables like kale, mustard greens, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are good choices. Vegetables should be included in every meal when undergoing cancer treatment(2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Breast cancer

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Association of Healthy Diet and Physical Activity With Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Interventions and Oncology Education

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Green tea: Being a rich source of catechins, flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds, and antioxidants green tea exhibits strong chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive effects. It helps inhibit tumor invasiveness and angiogenesis and helps in modulating the immune system function. A Japanese study revealed that consuming a minimum of five cups of green tea helps reduce the risk of recurrence among breast cancer patients(5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Nutrition and Breast Cancer: A Literature Review on Prevention, Treatment and Recurrence

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Whole grains: Consuming adequate fiber every day is recommended when following the breast cancer diet. Whole grains such as oats, whole wheat, brown rice, millets, and unprocessed cereals are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, phytochemicals, B vitamins, and minerals(2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Breast cancer

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Protein-rich foods: Protein is essential to support recovery. Legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, lean meats, fish, and low-fat dairy products like yogurt are ideal protein sources to be consumed during breast cancer treatment(2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Breast cancer

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Soy: Studies conducted to understand the effect of soy on breast cancer prognosis found mixed results. However, most researchers claim it is safe to consume moderate amounts of soy. The isoflavones in natural soy products are not highly concentrated to exhibit negative effects on people with breast cancer(6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Soy Food Consumption and Breast Cancer Prognosis

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Soy and Cancer Risk: Our Expert's Advice

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Foods to be Avoided

To optimize the effect of treatment, prevent complications, and halt the progression of the disease it is advisable to avoid certain foods. In breast cancer, foods to be avoided include

• Red meat like beef
• Raw egg
• Raw or under-cooked fish, poultry, or meat
• Processed meat products like sausage, smoked meat, cured meats
• Unpasteurized dairy products
• Unclean vegetables and fruits
• Sugary foods and beverages
• Fried foods
• Alcohol(3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  The Best Foods To Eat When You Have Breast Cancer
  
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  Nutrition and Breast Cancer: A Literature Review on Prevention, Treatment and Recurrence
  
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• Reused oil

Combating Treatment Side Effects with Food

Several breast cancer patients report a variety of side effects while undergoing treatment. These side effects can be combated with nutritional interventions.

• Nausea: Incorporating ginger into the diet helps treat nausea. Eating foods that do not have strong flavors, and are less in fat and at room temperature helps reduce nausea.
• Constipation: Increasing fluid and fiber intake is recommended to treat and prevent constipation. Practicing low-intensity exercises such as slow walking also helps regularize bowel movements.
• Fatigue: Consuming small, and frequent meals with high-protein snacks aids in reducing fatigue. Not consuming enough calories may also precipitate fatigue.
• Changes in taste: Radiation therapy may damage the salivary glands leading to dry mouth and alterations in taste. Using condiments, mint, ginger in diet, drinking lime juice, and using plastic eating utensils helps improve palatability(3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  The Best Foods To Eat When You Have Breast Cancer
  
  Go to source, 5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Nutrition and Breast Cancer: A Literature Review on Prevention, Treatment and Recurrence
  
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Can a Healthy Diet Prevent Breast Cancer?

A diet filled with nutritious foods helps swipe down the risk of breast cancer. Studies have found that higher red meat consumption in early adulthood could be a risk factor for breast cancer. Replacing this with poultry, legumes, fish, and nuts may bring down the risk(8^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Dietary protein sources in early adulthood and breast cancer incidence: prospective cohort study

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Systematic reviews have established links between higher fiber intake and lower risk of breast cancer. Fiber may help in reducing the circulating levels of estrogen and androgens by reabsorbing them in the bowel.

Omega-3 fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may also help reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole cereals, fish, and olive oil should be included in the diet for breast cancer prevention. Studies have also found that a Mediterranean diet is one of the healthy diets that is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer(9^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Can diet and lifestyle prevent breast cancer: what is the evidence?

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Dietary patterns and breast cancer: a case-control study in women

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Wrapping Up

The inclusion of whole grains, legumes, soy, fruits, vegetables, and fish may provide the body with essential nutrients to fight breast cancer. While to reduce the mortality rate, nutrition, and lifestyle after breast cancer should be highlighted in importance. Education, screening, and promoting a healthy lifestyle display significant roles in the prevention of breast cancer.