When it comes to breast cancer, it is important to remember that a single type of food cannot cause or prevent the condition. But certain foods will help you maintain your overall health, thus eliminating the risk of developing breast cancer. Eating healthy has a number of benefits — a major one being preventing the risk of breast cancer. Every individual should know which foods are beneficial and harmful for them. This goes a long way in preventing many conditions. Here’s a list of foods that have been linked to the occurrence of breast cancer.

Fatty foods
The type of fat you consume can increase the risk of breast cancer. Saturated dietary fats and trans fats are found in red meat like bacon, sausage, and ham. Beef, lamb, and organ meats that are deep-fried, barbecued, or grilled must also be avoided because cancer-causing carcinogens are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures. Non-dairy creamers, processed cheese, butter, margarine, shortening, ice cream, frozen, ready-to-eat meals, bakery goods and packaged, processed foods like chips, snacks, cookies, crackers, pies, and pastries, all contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, unnecessarily high amounts of added sugar and salt, and a host of other cancer-inducing chemical preservatives, food colorings, and additives. These, apart from increasing bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in your body, also exacerbate the easy growth and spread of breast cancer cells.

Sugary foods
Increasing your risk for all types of breast cancers, but especially HER2-enriched or HER2+ breast cancer, are sugary foods. Research conducted on animals proves that breast cancer risk increases by more than 50% with the consumption of sugary foods. Both simple and refined carbohydrates are converted to sugar in your body, causing chronic inflammation that can alter or damage DNA, resulting in cancer. It is best to avoid foods containing all types of corn syrup, not just the high-fructose variety, aerated sodas, fruit juices and energy drinks containing added sugars like sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, and/or maltose. Similarly, white bread and pasta made from highly refined wheat flour, white rice, and bakery products like pies and desserts that contain all-purpose flour and sugar do not provide any nutrition. They, however, are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.

While being a woman, becoming older and hereditary gene mutations are factors affecting breast cancer that cannot be changed. However, one can lead a healthy lifestyle with adequate exercise to remain fit and maintain ideal body weight to eliminate any potential risks of breast cancer. Consuming the right foods is also possible. Hence, one can enjoy a wholesome, balanced diet that contains a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamins, fiber, carotenoids, and antioxidants. The consumption of vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli; lean meat; fish; soy products; and adequate hydration from clean drinking water are important for remaining healthy and free from the risk of breast cancer.