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# High Total Antioxidant Capacity Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/antioxidants_and_breast_cancer_0727150138/
- Published: 2015-07-27T14:36:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:45:05.000Z
- Description: Among 3,209 Dutch women followed a median 17 years, high dietary ferric reducing antioxidant potential scores tracked with 32% lower breast cancer risk, though no single antioxidant did. Among smokers, low alpha- and beta-carotene intake went with sharply higher risk.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Phytochemicals, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Monday July 27, 2015 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study recently published in International Journal of Cancer suggests that eating antioxidants loaded fruit/vegetables may cut the risk for developing breast cancer in women, particularly in those who smoke or are older.

The study led by J. C. Kiefte-de Jong, RD, PhD, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and colleagues shows that high dietary ferric reducing antioxidant potential scores were associated with 32% reduced risk for breast cancer, compared with lower scores.

However, no individual antioxidants including vitamin A, C, E, selenium, flavonoids and carotenoids were associated with reduced risk for breast cancer.

Among smokers, low intake of alpha carotene and beta carotene was correlated with 148% and 131% increased risk for breast cancer, compared with high intake of these two antioxidants.

Among women aged 70 or older, low intake of flavonoids was associated 80% increased risk for breast cancer, compared with high intake of flavonoids.

The data used for the study came from 3,209 women aged 55 or older who were enrolled in the Rotterdam Study. During a median follow-up of 17 years, 199 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Alpha-carotene is found high in pumpkin and carrots and beta-carotene is high in green leafy vegetables including spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens, and beet greens. Flavonoids are found in fruit, vegetables, tea, and cocoa. (David Liu)

[Athanasios Pantavos, Rikje Ruiter, Edith F. Feskens, Catherine E. de Keyser, Albert Hofman, Bruno H. Stricker, Oscar H. Franco andJessica C. Kiefte-de Jong, Total dietary antioxidant capacity, individual antioxidant intake and breast cancer risk: The Rotterdam study, International Journal of Cancer, Volume 136, Issue 9, pages 2178–2186, 1 May 2015](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.29249/abstract?userIsAuthenticated=false&deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&ref=foodconsumer.org)