Leafy greens help breast cancer recovery

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A study in China has found that eating green vegetables improves the chance of survival of women diagnosed with breast cancer.

The research suggests that a diet incorporating plenty of cruciferous vegetables – including cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, bok choy and broccoli – can greatly improve outcomes for breast cancer patients, reducing the incidence of recurrence and improving the chance of recovery.

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The study, carried out jointly by Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center and Shanghai Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tracked 4886 women between the ages of 20 and 75 who had been diagnosed with breast cancer at stages one through to four.

Women whose diet was high in cruciferous vegetables in the 36 months after diagnosis had the risk of mortality reduced by up to 62 per cent. They also saw the risk of recurrence drop 21 to 35 per cent.

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Researcher Sarah Nechuta told media that bioactive compounds may have anti-cancer properties.

"Cruciferous vegetables”, she said, “contain high amounts of glucosinolates, which are hydrolyzed to bioactive compounds including isothiocyanates (ITCs) and indoles".

Scientists are still yet to discover how those bioactive compounds help the recovery from breast cancer, despite the study’s positive findings.

While scientists work on finding answers to these questions, it’s still another good reason to pack your diet full of green veggies.

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