How to Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk by Eating Less Red and Processed Meat

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, affecting one in eight women in their lifetime1. While some risk factors for breast cancer, such as age, family history, and genetics, are not modifiable, others, such as diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures, can be changed to lower your risk.

One of the dietary factors that may influence your breast cancer risk is the consumption of red and processed meat. Red meat includes beef, pork, lamb, and goat, while processed meat includes bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, and deli meats. These foods are often high in saturated fat, cholesterol, heme iron, sodium, nitrites, and carcinogens that can damage your DNA and cause inflammation2.

A recent study from Harvard School of Public Health found that high intake of red and processed meat was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer in women3. The study analyzed data from more than 88,000 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II and followed them for 20 years. The researchers found that women who ate more than one serving of red meat per day had a 22% higher risk of breast cancer than those who ate less than one serving per week. Similarly, women who ate more than one serving of processed meat per week had a 9% higher risk of breast cancer than those who ate less than one serving per month.

The association between red and processed meat intake and breast cancer risk was stronger for certain subtypes of breast cancer, such as estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors, which tend to be more aggressive and harder to treat3. The researchers also found that replacing one serving of red meat per day with one serving of poultry, fish, legumes, nuts, or eggs was associated with a 14% lower risk of breast cancer.

These findings suggest that reducing your intake of red and processed meat and increasing your intake of plant-based foods may help prevent breast cancer. Plant-based foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. These foods are rich in fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that can protect your cells from oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormonal imbalance4.

• What are the benefits of eating plant-based foods for breast cancer prevention?
• What are some examples of plant-based foods that may lower your breast cancer risk?
• How much red and processed meat should you eat to reduce your breast cancer risk?
• How can you make the transition to a more plant-based diet?
• FAQs
• Q1: Is all red meat bad for breast cancer?
• Q2: Is organic or grass-fed meat better for breast cancer prevention?
• Q3: What are some other dietary factors that may affect your breast cancer risk?

What are the benefits of eating plant-based foods for breast cancer prevention?

Plant-based foods have several benefits for breast health. Some of the benefits are:

• Plant-based foods contain fiber, which helps remove excess hormones that could lead to certain types of breast cancer, such as ER-positive tumors5. Fiber also helps to remove waste from the digestive system, which can play a role in preventing colorectal cancer6.
• Plant-based foods contain antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols. These compounds can scavenge free radicals that can damage your DNA and cause mutations that can lead to cancer7. Antioxidants also help to modulate immune system function and prevent chronic inflammation8.
• Plant-based foods contain phytochemicals, such as indole-3-carbinol, sulforaphane, genistein, curcumin, and resveratrol. These compounds can modulate the activity of enzymes, hormones, and signaling pathways that are involved in breast cancer development and progression9. Phytochemicals can also influence gene expression, cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis10.
• Plant-based foods contain vitamins and minerals, such as folate, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. These nutrients are essential for DNA synthesis and repair, cell growth and differentiation, bone health, and immune function11. Some of these nutrients may also have specific roles in breast cancer prevention. For example, folate may prevent DNA methylation and aberrant gene expression, vitamin D may inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, and calcium may regulate intracellular calcium signaling and modulate estrogen metabolism.
• Plant-based foods contain healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These fats can lower inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and regulate cell membrane fluidity and receptor function. Some of these fats may also have direct effects on breast cancer cells. For example, omega-3 fatty acids may inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis, monounsaturated fatty acids may induce apoptosis and inhibit invasion, and polyunsaturated fatty acids may modulate estrogen receptor activity and gene expression.

What are some examples of plant-based foods that may lower your breast cancer risk?

Some of the plant-based foods that may have anticancer properties are:

• Leafy green vegetables: These include kale, spinach, arugula, mustard greens, chard, collard greens, and lettuce. These vegetables are high in fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, folate, calcium, and iron. They may help to detoxify carcinogens, inhibit DNA damage, modulate estrogen metabolism, and prevent angiogenesis.
• Cruciferous vegetables: These include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, radish, turnip, and watercress. These vegetables are high in fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals (especially glucosinolates), vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and selenium. They may help to induce phase II detoxification enzymes, inhibit phase I activation enzymes, modulate estrogen receptor activity and expression.
• Allium vegetables: These include garlic, onion, leek, chive, scallion and shallot. These vegetables are high in fiber, antioxidants (especially organosulfur compounds), vitamin C, vitamin B6 and selenium. They may help to enhance immune function, inhibit bacterial growth, suppress inflammation, induce apoptosis, and inhibit angiogenesis.
• Citrus fruits: These include orange, grapefruit lemon, lime and tangerine. These fruits are high in fiber, antioxidants (especially vitamin C, flavonoids and limonoids), folate and potassium. They may help to scavenge free radicals, enhance DNA repair, modulate cell signaling pathways, and inhibit tumor invasion.
• Berries: These include blueberry, strawberry raspberry, blackberry and cranberry. These fruits are high in fiber, antioxidants (especially anthocyanins, ellagic acid and proanthocyanidins), vitamin C and manganese. They may help to protect DNA from oxidative damage, inhibit cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, modulate gene expression, and prevent metastasis.
• Peaches, apples pears, and grapes: These fruits are high in fiber, antioxidants (especially phenolic acids, quercetin and resveratrol), vitamin C and potassium. They may help to reduce oxidative stress, inhibit inflammation, modulate estrogen metabolism, and induce cell cycle arrest.
• Fatty fish: These include salmon, mackerel herring, sardine and trout. These fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids (especially eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]), protein and vitamin D. They may help to lower inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, regulate cell membrane fluidity and receptor function.

How much red and processed meat should you eat to reduce your breast cancer risk?

There is no definitive answer to how much red and processed meat you should eat to reduce your breast cancer risk. Different studies have used different definitions and measurements of red and processed meat intake, making it hard to compare the results and draw a clear conclusion. However, some general guidelines can be followed to help you make healthier choices.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified red meat as a probable carcinogen and processed meat as a definite carcinogen, based on the evidence from epidemiological and experimental studies. The WHO recommends limiting the intake of red meat to less than 500 grams (18 ounces) per week and avoiding processed meat altogether. This means that you should eat no more than one or two servings of red meat per week, and none of processed meat.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has also issued similar recommendations, based on their comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature on diet, nutrition, physical activity, and cancer prevention. The AICR advises limiting the intake of red meat to no more than 350-500 grams (12-18 ounces) per week and avoiding processed meat. The AICR also suggests choosing lean cuts of red meat, trimming off visible fat, and cooking it at lower temperatures to reduce the formation of carcinogens.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has a more flexible approach, based on their review of the evidence on diet and cancer risk. The ACS does not specify a limit for red or processed meat intake, but rather encourages choosing fish, poultry, or beans instead of red or processed meat. The ACS also recommends choosing lean or low-fat varieties of red or processed meat, avoiding charred or smoked meats, and using healthy cooking methods such as baking, broiling, or roasting.

How can you make the transition to a more plant-based diet?

Making the transition to a more plant-based diet may seem daunting at first, but it can be easier than you think. Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Start small: You don’t have to give up red or processed meat completely or overnight. You can start by reducing the portion size, frequency, or variety of these foods in your diet. For example, you can swap one serving of red or processed meat with one serving of plant-based protein per week, or choose one day per week to go meatless.
• Experiment with new foods: There are many delicious and nutritious plant-based foods that can satisfy your taste buds and provide you with essential nutrients. You can try different types of beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. You can also explore various cuisines that feature plant-based dishes, such as Mediterranean, Indian, Thai, Mexican, or Japanese.
• Add more fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are not only good for your health, but also for your palate. They can add color, flavor texture, and variety to your meals. You can aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and choose a rainbow of colors to get a range of antioxidants and phytochemicals. You can also snack on fresh, dried or frozen fruits, and add vegetables to your soups, salads sandwiches, and wraps.
• Use herbs and spices: Herbs and spices can enhance the taste and aroma of your food, and also provide some health benefits. They can help to reduce the need for salt, sugar or fat in your cooking, and also modulate some biological processes that are related to cancer prevention. Some examples of herbs and spices that may have anticancer properties are turmeric, ginger garlic, onion rosemary, thyme oregano, basil and cinnamon.
• Seek support: Changing your diet can be challenging, especially if you face social or environmental barriers. You can seek support from your family, friends healthcare providers, or online communities. You can also join a cooking class, a vegetarian club, or a farmers’ market to learn new skills, meet new people, and discover new resources.

FAQs

Q1: Is all red meat bad for breast cancer?

A1: Not necessarily. Red meat can be a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, which are important for your health. However, red meat can also contain harmful substances that can increase your breast cancer risk, such as saturated fat, cholesterol, heme iron, nitrites, and carcinogens. Therefore, it is advisable to limit your intake of red meat and choose lean or low-fat cuts, trim off visible fat, and cook it at lower temperatures to reduce the formation of carcinogens.

Q2: Is organic or grass-fed meat better for breast cancer prevention?

A2: There is not enough evidence to conclude that organic or grass-fed meat is better for breast cancer prevention than conventional meat. Organic meat is produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified organisms, which may reduce the exposure to some potential carcinogens. Grass-fed meat is derived from animals that are fed only grass or forage, which may result in higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may have some anticancer effects. However, these differences may not be significant enough to outweigh the risks associated with red and processed meat intake. Therefore, it is still advisable to limit your intake of red and processed meat, regardless of whether it is organic or grass-fed.

Q3: What are some other dietary factors that may affect your breast cancer risk?

A3: Some other dietary factors that may affect your breast cancer risk are:

• Alcohol: Alcohol consumption can increase your breast cancer risk by increasing the levels of estrogen and other hormones, damaging your DNA, and interfering with folate metabolism. The more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk. Therefore, it is advisable to limit your alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
• Soy: Soy foods contain phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that can mimic or block the effects of estrogen in your body. The role of soy in breast cancer prevention is controversial, as some studies have shown protective effects while others have shown harmful effects. However, most of the evidence suggests that moderate consumption of whole soy foods (such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, and soy nuts) may lower your breast cancer risk or improve your prognosis if you have breast cancer. However, it is advisable to avoid soy supplements or highly processed soy products (such as soy protein isolate, soy burgers, or soy cheese), as they may have different effects than whole soy foods.
• Dairy: Dairy products contain calcium, vitamin D protein, and iodine, which are beneficial for function, and thyroid function. However, dairy products also contain hormones, growth factors, and casein, which may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. The evidence on dairy and breast cancer risk is inconsistent, as some studies have shown protective effects while others have shown harmful effects. However, most of the evidence suggests that low-fat or non-fat dairy products may be safer than full-fat dairy products for breast cancer prevention. Therefore, it is advisable to limit your intake of full-fat dairy products (such as whole milk, cheese, butter, and cream) and choose low-fat or non-fat alternatives (such as skim milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and kefir).
• Green tea: Green tea contains polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic properties. Green tea may help to prevent breast cancer by inhibiting the activity of estrogen and other growth factors, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, modulating gene expression and epigenetic modifications, and enhancing immune function. The evidence on green tea and breast cancer risk is mixed, as some studies have shown protective effects while others have shown no effects or even harmful effects. However, most of the evidence suggests that drinking moderate amounts of green tea (about 3 cups per day) may lower your breast cancer risk or improve your prognosis if you have breast cancer. However, it is advisable to avoid green tea supplements or extracts, as they may have different effects than brewed green tea.

These are some of the dietary factors that may affect your breast cancer risk. However, it is important to remember that diet is only one aspect of your overall health and well-being. You should also maintain a healthy weight, be physically active, avoid smoking and exposure to environmental toxins, manage your stress levels, and get regular screening and check-ups.