Eating peanuts, cashew nuts, walnuts, pistachios and almonds lowers the risk of breast cancer relapse and death in female cancer survivors, according to a study published in the International Journal of Cancer.

In the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, 3,449 breast cancer survivors were surveyed for a dietary assessment five years after their diagnosis. There were 374 mortalities reported during a median follow-up of around eight years after the dietary assessment.

It was also reported that there was a direct correlation between nut consumption and breast cancer relapse or death, with high consumption resulting in the lowest risks of a relapse. This correlation was stronger for those breast cancer survivors who were diagnosed in the early stages.

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The study found 50% reduced risk of relapse, metastasis, or death among those who consumed nuts daily. The study suggested that the importance of nuts should be emphasized for breast cancer survivors.

This one-of-a-kind study was published online on October 20, 2021, in the International Journal of Cancer.

Some experts say this study is an isolated one and the evidence is weak. While authors of the study tried to control external factors such as lifestyle, living standards and income, it is difficult to establish the relationship between nuts and breast cancer relapse.

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It is also worth noting that the study only comprised breast cancer survivors who had survived till the 5-year mark. That left a big chunk of breast cancer patients out.

Erin Van Blarigan, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who earlier did a study on the beneficial effects of nuts in colon cancer patients, suggests that since nuts are energy-dense foods, it’s best to consume them in small portions.

While the relationship on the association of nuts and breast cancer continues to be explored, it’s safe to say that these nutrient-packed mini-foods offer great health benefits, with a possibility of lowering cancer risks.

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