A super superfood:

A tomato-rich diet may help protect at-risk postmenopausal women from breast cancer, according to research from Ohio State University.

The study, published online earlier this month in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, found that eating a diet high in tomatoes had a positive effect on the level of hormones that play a role in regulating fat and sugar metabolism.

Breast cancer risk is higher amongst postmenopausal women as their body mass index (BMI) tends to climb.

Women who are genetically prediscposed to breast cancer can offset their elevated risk by up to 25% by taking certain preventative measures including exercise, vitamins and long walks. This study aimed to determine whether a diet rich in tomatoes had a similar protective effect.

So far the results look promising.

While previous studies have investigated specific dietary patterns as a strategy for obesity-related breast cancer prevention, few have examined the association between specific diets and breast cancer prevention. This new longitudinal study examined the effects of both tomato-rich and soy-rich diets in a group of 70 postmenopausal women considered at risk of breast cancer due to family history and/or being overweight or obese.

“The advantages of eating plenty of tomatoes and tomato-based products, even for a short period, were clearly evident in our findings,” said Dr Adana Llanos, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Rutgers University and the study’s lead author.

Eating a tomato-rich diet increases the level of adiponectin, a hormone found in the bloodstream that originates in fat tissue. Low levels of adiponectin are associated with obesity, diabetes and heart disease as well as the development of breast cancer.

“Based on this data, we believe regular consumption of at least the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables would promote breast cancer prevention in an at-risk population,” Dr Llanos said.