Food recommendation status

Below are the guidelines used in this website to assign recommendations to foods.

Foods for which there is ample, high quality academic research to recommend the food without qualification.

This normally means multiple epidemiological and/or animal studies, not just cell studies. This is true for foods such as blueberries. Of course, no food should be consumed to excess.

Foods for which there exists high quality academic research to recommend the food, however with few or no human or animal studies. Recommendation relies more heavily on the micronutrient content of the food than highly recommended foods. For example, blackberries are classified as recommended primarily because of their anthocyanin, ellagic acid, enterolactone and fiber contents.

The food would be classified as recommended or highly recommended were it not for a characteristic or characteristics that should limit it's consumption. For example, honey is classified as recommended in moderation due to its relatively high glycemic index. Honey also must be sourced carefully.

This recommendation is used either (1) for foods such as mint that have both breast cancer inhibiting and breast cancer promoting attributes; or (2) for foods such as vinegar for which not enough high quality research is available to make a recommendation.

Foods such as safflower oil that have breast cancer promoting characteristics without being frankly carcinogenic. Such foods should be consumed in moderation, if at all.

Foods such bacon for which there exists ample academic research to indicate that the food or a major component promotes breast cancer. Such foods should be avoided or consumed only occasionally in small amounts.

Foods such as coffee that have varying effects on breast cancer for different women.

The food recommendations, which are updated as new research becomes available, have been developed based solely on the results of academic studies. Please read the applicable food pages when making your own food lists since these pages contain important advice, consumption limits, and other pertinent information.