Pregnant Rat Lipotropic Substances
In the second study, researchers gave pregnant rats a diet high in lipotropic substances (substances that work on the breakdown of fats) and later exposed their offspring to compounds known to induce cancer. Babies of the rats with diets high in these compounds developed fewer tumors and the tumors that did develop, were less likely to grow or spread.
Clearly, additional research is needed to further our knowledge on how maternal diet can impact on the genetic development of their baby, but these developments are nonetheless very exciting.
What does this mean for you if you are pregnant? Well, the research does suggest that making some simple changes in your diet during pregnancy may be helpful, and truthfully, you should be eating these recommended nutrients anyway.
Lipotrophic compounds include methionine, choline, folate and vitamin B12. Folate and vitamin B12 are already in your prenatal vitamin, but additional sources of folate include: enriched cereals, green leafy vegetables, orange juice, legumes, and baked goods. Vitamin B12 is found in most animal products, including poultry, organ meats, shellfish and dairy products. Choline is found in eggs (specifically the yolks), green leafy vegetables, nuts and organ meats. Foods rich in methionine include red meat, fish, eggs, garlic and onion, lentils and seeds. You can increase your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids simply by switching from corn oil to canola oil.
Of course, you don’t want your diet during pregnancy to consist entirely of red meat and egg yolks, but adding in a few extra servings of the foods listed above (especially the green leafy vegetables!), in the context of a healthy diet can all help reduce breast cancer risk in your female baby. How cool is that?
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Reference:
Diet during pregnancy linked to breast cancer risk reduction in female offspring. (2011, August 4). Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/232262.php