Tomatoes May Help Lower Breast Cancer Risk

Tomatoes might be the key to lowering the risk of breast cancer. New research has found that a diet rich in tomatoes can help decrease of the risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The tomatoes help to level a hormone called adiponectin, which

regulates fat and sugar metabolism.

“The advantages of eating plenty of tomatoes and tomato-based products, even for a short period, were clearly evident in our findings,” said the study’s first author, Adana Llanos, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Rutgers University. “Eating fruits and vegetables, which are rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals such as lycopene, conveys significant benefits. Based on this data, we believe regular consumption of at least the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables would promote breast cancer prevention in an at-risk population.”

The study examined the impact of tomato-rich and soy-rich diets. Seventy postmenopausal women went on a diet of tomato products that contained at least 25mg of lycopene every day for 10 weeks. During another 10-week period, the same participants went on a diet that included at least 40g of soy protein a day.

While on the tomato-rich diet, the level of adiponectin in participants reached 9%. This was even stronger in women who had lower body mass indexes (BMIs).

“Consuming a diet rich in tomatoes had a larger impact on hormone levels in women who maintained a healthy weight,” Llanos said.

Meanwhile, the soy-heavy diet resulted in a decrease of adiponectin levels.

(By Marissa Brassfield for CalorieLab)