Following a Mediterranean diet rich in extra virgin olive oil can contribute to reducing the risk of breast cancer by up to 68% , according to the conclusions of the latest study carried out by the University of Navarra and the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn).
The research began in 2003 and included the participation of 4,282 Spanish women between 60 and 80 years of age with a high risk of cardiovascular disease . The volunteers were randomly distributed into three groups: the first would follow a Mediterranean diet rich in extra virgin olive oil (provided free of charge to the participants by the researchers); the second, a Mediterranean diet with nuts apart from olive oil (with an average of 30 grams a day of oil or 4 tablespoons); and, the last group, would follow a diet based basically on reducing fat. The experiment was carried out for an average of 4.8 years.
The results (interviews, group controls and biochemical analyzes) revealed that the first two groups had a two-thirds lower risk of developing breast cancer than the third group. “It is a very strong finding. Rarely do we have such pleasant news to give to society ”, explains Miguel Angel Martínez-González, coordinator of the work.
Thus, the work has confirmed that such specific dietary factors , such as in this case extra virgin olive oil, affect a lower risk of tumors. This is the first time that scientific results have been offered in this regard.
The study has been published in the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Internal Medicine .
