Sorting food myths from truth

There are many myths about healthy eating and breast cancer, and sometimes it’s hard to know what to believe and what to ignore. Below are some common food-related questions you may have in relation to breast cancer.

Should I avoid soy foods?

There is no good quality evidence that shows a moderate intake of soy-based foods (e.g. tofu, soy milk, tempeh, soy beans) as part of a healthy diet is harmful for women with breast cancer.

However, it is generally not recommended that people diagnosed with breast cancer consume high dose phyto-oestrogen supplementation, such as soy protein isolates or isoflavone capsules. Phyto-oestrogens are natural substances found in some plant foods that can act like the hormone oestrogen in high doses.

Should I stop eating sugar?

Eating sugar will not cause cancer or cause cancer to grow faster. However, eating a diet high in sugar does contribute to weight gain, and being overweight is a risk factor for developing cancer and for breast cancer recurring (coming back).

Should I avoid dairy products?

There is no good evidence to show a link between eating dairy foods and the risk of breast cancer or of a breast cancer recurring (coming back).

Dairy foods are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet as they contain calcium which is vital for building and maintaining healthy bones. This is especially important for people diagnosed with breast cancer, as a number of treatments (particularly hormone-blocking therapy drugs) can affect bone health.

Should I avoid drinking alcohol?

There is convincing evidence that drinking alcohol is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer. However, it is not clear whether alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer coming back.

Cancer Australia recommends avoiding alcohol or limiting your daily alcohol intake to reduce cancer risk. If you do drink alcohol, it is recommended that women have no more than one standard drink each day. For men, the recommendation is no more than two standard drinks a day.

Important: one ‘standard drink’ in Australia contains 10 grams of alcohol, but one serving of alcohol may contain more than one standard drink. For example, 100ml of wine is one standard drink, but if you fill your glass, you may have poured twice that amount.

Should I follow an alkaline diet?

There is no good quality evidence to show that an ‘alkaline diet’ can prevent or treat diseases such as cancer. Further, many of the foods this diet suggests you avoid contain important nutrients that your body needs to function well.

Should I only eat organic food?

There is no good quality evidence that organic produce is higher in the nutrients that help to reduce your risk of breast cancer than fruit and vegetables farmed in conventional ways. If you are worried about pesticide residue it is a good idea to wash your fruit and vegetables before eating them.

Should I avoid eating red meat?

There is no good quality evidence of an association between eating red meat and breast cancer. However, eating red meat and, in particular, processed meat (cured with the addition of preservatives and/or other additives) seems to be linked with a small increased risk of bowel cancer.

Despite some concerns about meat and cancer, the Cancer Council recognises that lean red meat is an important source of dietary iron, zinc, B12 and protein.

The Cancer Council recommends:

• Eating moderate amounts of red meat: 65-100g of cooked red meat three-four times a week.
• Limiting the consumption of processed meats (e.g. salami, frankfurts, bacon and ham) which are high in fat and salt.
• Avoiding burnt or charred meat
• Choosing lean cuts of meat and poultry and eating more fish and plant-based foods such as vegetables, wholegrain cereals and fruit.