Breast cancer risk: Oatmeal and nuts can shield you against this condition

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies breast cancer as the top most cause of cancer-related deaths in women. According to WHO, this cancer affects 2.1 million women every year, globally. The estimates of this world body suggest that in 2018 alone, the death toll of breast cancer was 627,00. This is almost 15 per cent of all cancer deaths among women. While these figures are alarming for sure, the good news is, certain lifestyle modifications can reduce their risk of breast cancer. A recent research has revealed that including high-fibre foods in your diet will bring down your vulnerability to the cancer.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY?

The research, published in the journal Cancer, reveals that a high-fibre diet can reduce your risk of post-menopausal breast cancer. Women whose meals were loaded with fibre had an 8 per cent reduced risk of breast cancer than those with low consumption of this essential nutrient, found researchers. However, the efficacy of fibre in reducing premenopausal breast cancer risk was found to be higher: 18 per cent. For this study, researchers gathered data from 20 other reports that looked at total fibre intake and also different types of this fibre from a wide-ranging variety of sources like cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc. reduction was higher

Another interesting observation of this study is that only soluble fibre is linked with reduced breast cancer risk. Soluble fibre, found in nuts, oats, lentils, etc. dissolves in water and improves your digestion. Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, doesn’t get dissolved in water. It is found in green beans, whole-wheat flour and wheat bran among others. Notably, all plants contain both these forms of fibre in varying quantities.

5 best fibre-rich foods for your breasts

As already mentioned, the association between breast cancer risk reduction and fibre was limited to only the soluble version of this nutrient. Soluble fibre is found abundantly in oatmeal, nuts, beans, peas and lentils. Here, we guide you on the healthiest ways to have these fibre-rich foods.

Oatmeal

Go for steel-cut oats instead of the instant ones which come with a lot of added sugar. True that you will take longer to cook the old-fashioned steel-cut version. But they are a healthier version for sure. To give a calcium boost to your bowl of oatmeal, cook it with skimmed milk instead of water. You can substitute milk with apple cider too, keeping the ratio of the liquid same as oats.

Nuts

Apart from fibre, nuts come with healthy fats, known as monounsaturated fats. However, you need to have them in moderation as they are high in calories. You can use them in your salads and side dishes for a crunchy flavour. It’s best to have nuts in your breakfast cereals, fruits and yogurt. They can also be a good addition to your rice during dinner. Don’t pair nuts with meat as both are high on protein and fats.

Beans

chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans are high-fibre dry bean options that you must include in your meals if you want to reduce your breast cancer risk. While 170g of cooked black beans has about 15g fibre, the number is 13.6g for 250g of cooked kidney beans. On the other hand, 164 g of cooked chickpeas offer 12.5g fibre. The best way to have beans is to make a yummy dip out of them. Having roasted chickpeas is also a good option.

Peas

You get about 12g of dietary fibre from 250g of peas. The best way to cook them is by blanching them in boiling water. You can also mash green peas along with chickpeas to make a healthy dip.

Lentils

On an average, you get about 20g of fibre from 250g of lentils. It’s best to cook them after soaking them overnight. Rinse them well before cooking. This entire process will take away the impurities and help in maximum nutrient retention.