For many women, the link between what we eat and our long-term health is a major concern. New research looking at over 33,000 people provides some insight into how antioxidants in our diet might play a role in breast cancer risk.
The researchers looked at the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of diets. They found that people with a higher intake of these antioxidants had a significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer. While individual studies on this topic have been hard to interpret on their own, this larger review showed a clear pattern: as dietary antioxidant levels went up, the risk of breast cancer went down.
It is important to remember that this study shows an association, not a direct cause. This means that while the link is there, we cannot say for certain that antioxidants alone prevent cancer. Because these were observational studies, other factors like lifestyle or genetics could also play a role in the results.
