How can eating fruits, vegetables and grains help prevent breast cancer?

There are no food or dietary supplements that will act as "magic bullets"to prevent breast cancer from returning. However, certain foods, including fruits, vegetable, and whole grains are known to contain special chemicals (phytochemicals with antioxidant, antiestrogen and chemopreventive properties) that may prevent cancer. We recommend five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, are especially rich in these special chemicals. Here at Johns Hopkins, we have conducted extensive research to better understand the nutritional value of broccoli sprouts.

Whole grains are unprocessed foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. High fiber intakes can help influence the hormonal actions of breast cancer, as well as other hormonal-dependent cancers. You should aim to eat 25 to 35 grams of insoluble and soluble fiber every day.

Foods that contain these properties include:

• Grains - wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, bulgur, and barley

• Green leafy vegetables - lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, endives, beet greens, romaine

• Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, cabbage, turnip, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bok choy, watercress, collards, kale, mustard greens, rutabaga

• Umbelliferous vegetables - celery, parsley, fennel, carrots, parsnip

• Allium vegetables - onion, garlic, shallots, chives, leek

• Legumes- soybeans, peas, chickpeas, lima beans, peanut, carob, lentils, dried beans (mung, kidney, pinto, black-eyed)

• Solanaceous vegetables - eggplant, tomatoes

• Cucurbitaceous vegetables - pumpkin, squash, cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon