Walnuts May Prevent Breast Cancer

Walnut consumption may provide the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytosterols that reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to recent findings.

Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine (Huntington, WV, USA), reported that while her study was conducted with laboratory animals rather than humans, people should heed the recommendation to eat more walnuts. "Walnuts are better than cookies, French fries, or potato chips when you need a snack," noted Dr. Hardman. "We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases."

Dr. Hardman and colleagues studied mice that were fed a diet that they estimated was the human equivalent of about 57 g of walnuts per day. A separate group of mice were fed a control diet. Standard testing revealed that walnut consumption considerably decreased breast tumor incidence, the number of glands with a tumor and tumor size. "These laboratory mice typically have 100% tumor incidence at five months; walnut consumption delayed those tumors by at least three weeks," stated Dr. Hardman.

Molecular analysis showed that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids contributed to the decline in tumor incidence, but other parts of the walnut contributed as well. "With dietary interventions you see multiple mechanisms when working with the whole food," commented Dr. Hardman. "It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer."

The study's findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009, held in Denver, CO, USA, in April 2009.

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