Eating grapefruit can increase breast cancer risk by a third

Eating grapefruit can increase the risk of breast cancer by almost a third, a study suggests.

It is thought the fruit boosts blood levels of oestrogen, the hormone associated with the risk of the disease.

According to the research, eating as little as a quarter of a grapefruit a day raises the danger by 30 per cent among older women.

Researchers said: "This is the first report of a commonly consumed food that may increase the risk of breast cancer among post-menopausal women.

Eating grapefruit can increase the risk of breast cancer by almost a third

"Whole grapefruit intake was significantly associated with breast cancer in the present study - generally a 30 per cent increase among women who consume the equivalent of one quarter of a grapefruit or more per day.

"There is evidence that grapefruit increases plasma oestrogen concentrations.

"Since it is well established that oestrogen is associated with breast cancer risk, it is plausible that regular intake of grapefruit would increase a woman's risk of breast cancer."

The study, carried out by the universities of Southern California and Hawaii, was based on more than 50,000 post-menopausal women from five ethnic groups, including 1,657 with breast cancer.

The results, published in the British Journal of Cancer, will further increase fears over the disease, which accounts for more than a quarter of all cancers in women.

More than 40,000 cases are diagnosed and around 12,500 women die from breast cancer in the UK each year.

A number of lifestyle factors have been linked to breast cancer risk.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that a single alcoholic drink daily may increase a woman's risk of developing aggressive forms of breast cancer by 9 per cent.

Dr Shumin Zhang of Harvard Medical School said "moderate alcohol consumption" increased the risk of breast cancer, with beer, spirits and white wine all to blame, but not red wine.

A major European study also recently showed that eating junk food raises women's risk of developing a range of cancers.

And older women with the fattiest diets have a 15 per cent increase in their chances of developing breast cancer, according to a separate U.S. study.

Posted in Grapefruit , Grapefruit Benefits