Scientists More fruit at a young age to prevent cancer later?

Fruit can specifically protect women from developing breast cancer
Fruits and vegetables should be the main ingredient of any healthy diet. When people eat healthily, it protects them from many diseases. This includes the prevention of cancer. Researchers have now discovered that consuming fruit at a young age can protect us from future cancers. Young girls who eat a lot of fruit have a much lower risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

Are fruits and vegetables part of your daily diet? If not, you may want to change your diet to protect your health. Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard T.H. School of Public Health have now found in an investigation that people who eat a lot of fruit at a young age are better protected from cancer later in life. The scientists published the results of their study in the journal British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Fruit is known to be healthy. Consuming a lot of fruit in adolescence can even help prevent cancers in old age. Especially young girls should eat a lot of fruit to protect themselves from breast cancer. (Image: NataliTerr / fotolia.com)

Fruit flavonoids protect our body
Many studies have already documented the lower risk of various cancers in humans eating more fresh produce. In addition, these people avoid excessive consumption of red and processed meat, explain the researchers. However, most of these studies have been designed for adults. But cancer usually starts much earlier in life. Researchers are now studying the effects of diet during puberty and whether it significantly affects cancer risk. In another study, teenagers who eat almost three servings of fruit a day are 25 percent less likely to develop breast cancer compared to adolescents who ate half a serving of fruit a day, the experts explain.

There were some specific fruits that appeared to provide the greatest protection against breast cancer. Consumption of apples, bananas and grapes has been linked to greater risk reduction, say the experts. People who frequently eat cabbage and oranges during adulthood also have a reduced risk of breast cancer, explains Maryam Farvid of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Apples, bananas and grapes contain fiber that could contribute to a lower risk of cancer. These fruits are also rich in so-called flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and fight damage to cells, explains Farvid. Oranges contain a lot of vitamin C, which is also one of the antioxidants.

Chronic diseases usually appear late, but prevention begins early
This study highlights the importance of what specifically young girls eat. Dieting in adolescence can have a major impact on future health, says Farvid. Schools should recognize the need and spend more fruit and vegetables on the food they offer. According to the researchers, it was not possible to determine exactly why the consumption of fruit reduces the risk of human breast cancer. But the current study was not designed, the scientists explain. However, the results underline the importance of healthy nutrition at a young age. Although many of the chronic diseases occur late in life, the facilities for this are already set in the first years of life, the scientists explain. It is important to eat whole fruits, not just to consume fruit juice. No significant relationship could be found between the consumption of fruit juice and the likelihood of breast cancer, adds Farvid.

Conclusion of the study:
Taken together, the results show how important nutrition can be for the individual risk of breast cancer, the researchers say. A simple dietary change can be a relatively easy way to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. However, people should start at an early age, the experts add. (As)