Follow
A new study has found that women can protect themselves against breast cancer by consuming olive oil. This lowers their chances of developing the disease by 62 percent (62%).
The researchers came to this conclusion after comparing the results of women who were asked to adopt a Mediterranean diet that was rich in olive oil, with the results of women who were asked to simply reduce the amount of fat that they consume.
The clinical trial was meant to investigate the cardiovascular benefits of Mediterranean diets, but it also looked at its ability to protect against five (5) types of cancer. These diets rely heavily on fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, and of course, olive oil.
Overall, the 7.500 study subjects were split in three (3) different groups. One of them was put on a Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with extra olive oil, another one was put on a Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds), and the third and final group was put on a typical low fat diet.
The research team followed these women for about five (5) years and noticed that the subjects on either one of the Mediterranean diets had healthier hearts than the subjects on the low fat diet.
The main type of cancer that the Mediterranean diets seemed to stop from spreading proved to be breast cancer. Thirty-five (35) of the women in the study had already been diagnosed with the disease before singing up for the clinical trial.
The experts inform that the subjects on the low fat diet had a higher chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer than the ones on either one of the Mediterranean diets. This group of subjects showed 2.9 cases of breast cancer in every 1.000 individuals each year.
For comparison, the groups of women on the Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with mixed nuts showed 1.8 cases of breast cancer in every 1.000 individuals each year, and the groups of women on the Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with extra olive oil only showed 1.1 cases of breast cancer in every 1.000 individuals each year.
In fact, the women in this last group lowered their chances of developing the disease by 62 percent (62%), compared to the women on the low fat diet.
What’s more, after the researchers took into account risk factors such as a subject’s body mass index (BDI), age, physical exercise habits, and drinking habits, women on the Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with extra olive oil lowered their chances of developing breast cancer by no less than 68 percent (68%), compared to the women on the low fat diet.
But the women on the Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with mixed nuts were not without benefits either. Subjects in this group lowered their chances of developing breast cancer by 40 percent (40%), compared to the women on the low fat diet.
While the women on the Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with extra olive oil got an average of 22 percent (22%) of their daily calories from olive oil, the researchers explained that getting just 15 percent (15%) of daily calories from olive oil “seems to be instrumental for obtaining this significant protection”.
The findings were published earlier this week, on Monday (September 14, 2015), in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
Image Source: pixabay.com
