Green tea, mushrooms reduce risk from breast cancer, study says

William Atkins
Monday, 23 March 2009 19:49

Science - Health

The Chinese and Australian researchers found that the women who consumed the most quantities of fresh mushrooms were about two-thirds (36%) less likely to develop breast cancer, when compared to women who did not eat mushrooms.

In fact, the researchers found that as small of an intake as ten grams per day of fresh mushrooms (less then one button mushroom) helps to protect women against breast cancer.

With respect to dried mushrooms, the researchers found that eating four grams or more were sufficient to minimize the risk of breast cancer in the Chinese participants.

Specifically, the study found that the women who ate dried mushrooms were 53% less likely to get breast cancer then women who did not eat mushrooms.

They researchers also found a decrease in breast cancer risk from women who ate mushrooms and drank green tea, at least 1.05 grams of dried green tea leaves per day.

They state in the abstract to their paper, “We conclude that higher dietary intake of mushrooms decreased breast cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal Chinese women and an additional decreased risk of breast cancer from joint effect of mushrooms and green tea was observed.”

They suggest that additional research is needed to examine in more details the links and mechanisms of dietary mushrooms and green tea and the incidences of breast cancer in women.