Meat and Dairy Not Associated with Increased Breast Cancer Risk

The Western diet is associated with disease, including increased rates of breast cancer.  This has pointed a finger at red meat and dairy consumption as bad foods for health – a perception popular with proponents of vegetarian and raw food diets.  A very large European study could not find a relationship between red meat, eggs, or dairy as a risk factor for breast cancer¹.

The study involved 319,826 healthy women who were followed on average 8.8 years to see who developed breast cancer.  Using various statistical models, no link could be found for these overall food groups and breast cancer risk. 

Sub-group data analysis indicated that processed meat, red meat cooked at very high temperatures, and the highest butter intake in pre-menopausal women could be a problem, though further research would need to be done.

In general, the quality of food in Europe is higher than in America – meaning cows are range raised and meat and dairy are going to have more omega 3 in them and less chemicals than food generally consumed by the broad American population eating the “same” foods.  Thus, there is no guarantee these study results translate to Americans unless they are generally eating higher quality meat, eggs, or dairy.

I have said for a long time that these foods are not in and of themselves automatically problematic.  Consuming any type of food in excess is always a problem for breast cancer risk, especially if the overall diet lacks fiber, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables. 

It is the highly refined, highly processed food loaded down with excess sweeteners, hidden sugars, and chemically addictive flavoring stimulants that is behind the poor health associated with the American diet. 

Meat and dairy, as part of overall diet variety, are not in and of themselves a problem for the majority of Americans. 

As I mention in my articles on bioidentical hormones, there are multiple factors that set the stage for breast cancer.  Obesity is a major risk, with underlying inflammation as a driving force.  Women truly wishing to lower their risk for breast cancer should understand the detailed information explained in these two articles.