Studies have not established the effect of strawberries on breast cancer
Strawberries have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, anti-thrombotic, and neuroprotective properties, and may lower coronary heart disease risk. Strawberries are a good dietary source of vitamin C and folate. Strawberries also contain potassium, as well as some calcium, magnesium, phosphorus. Other bioactive components of strawberries include lupeol, quercetin, catechin, kaempferol, pelargonidin, fisetin, several anthocyanins, syringic acid, ellagic acid, resveratrol, coumestrol, and several lignans such as enterolactone.
Strawberries and their components have been shown to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of human lung, cervical, liver, colon and prostate cancer cells. Strawberries and strawberry extracts have been found to inhibit the development of oral cancer in hamsters and tumor development in the rat esophagus. Consumption of strawberries was found to be associated with lower risk of esophageal cancer in one large U.S. population study. Strawberry consumption has also been found to be associated with reduced risk of head and neck and colorectal cancers.
Breast cancer-related effects of eating strawberries
Although strawberries rank among the highest fruits in antioxidant properties and contain known chemopreventive compounds, the evidence with respect to breast cancer is mixed. Ellagic acid, found in strawberries, has been found to be effective in the prevention of estrogen-induced mammary tumors in rats. Numerous studies have found that strawberry extracts inhibit the growth and proliferation of human breast cancer cells. On the other hand, a 2009 study found that strawberry polyphenols had similar cytotoxic effect on normal cells as on breast cancer cells from the same tissue derived from the same patient, suggesting that strawberries may not be effective in reducing breast cancer risk. There are no available population studies specifically evaluating the association between strawberry consumption and breast cancer.
Additional comments
Non-organic strawberries must be washed very thoroughly to remove pesticide residue as much as possible. Both wild strawberries and organic strawberries have been found to have higher total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity than common strawberries.
Tags: anthocyanin, cervicalCancer, ellagicAcid, enterolactone, fisetin, flavonoids, folate, inflammation, kaempferol, lignan, phytoestrogens, proanthocyanidins, proliferation, quercetin, resveratrol, strawberries, vitaminC