Scientists are claiming that carrots could cut the risk of breast cancer by 60 percent.
It's long been known that eating a diet rich in beta-carotene, the chemical which makes vegetables like carrots, spinach, and red peppers so brightly colored, is good for the health. It's been linked to helping guard against heart disease and cancer, but a new study suggests it's particularly beneficial when it comes to breast cancer.
The research, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, studied 1,500 women with tumors in their breasts and 1,500 without. All were asked about their diets, as the team was trying to find a link between plant chemicals and cancer risk.
It was discovered that those women who ate meals rich in beta-carotene were 40 to 60 percent less likely to develop a tumor called estrogen receptor negative. One in three women with breast cancer have this type of tumor.
However, the level of the chemical didn't have an impact on estrogen receptor positive tumors, which the bulk of breast cancer cases are.
Other plant chemicals didn't have much of an effect on women with either tumors, with one expert keen to point out that there isn't a specific food type that could magically cure cancer.
"We've long known that a healthy diet—carrots included—can help to lower your risk of breast cancer because it helps to maintain a healthy weight," said Dr Richard Berks, senior research communications officer at charity Breast Cancer Now.
"While it's really important to eat vegetables as part of a balanced diet, there is unfortunately no such thing as a superfood when it comes to breast cancer risk."