Role of a Whole Plant Foods Diet in Breast Cancer Prevention and Survival

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity among women worldwide. Epidemiologic evidence shows that the risk of BC and other chronic diseases decreases as the proportion of whole plant foods increases, while the proportion of animal foods (fish, meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and dairy products) and non-whole plant foods (e.g., refined grains, added sugars, French fries) in the diet decreases. Whole plant foods include fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds from which no edible part has been removed and to which no non-whole food been added. A whole plant foods diet lowers insulin resistance, inflammation, excess body fat, cholesterol, and insulin-like growth factor 1 and sex hormone bioavailability; it also increases estrogen excretion, induces favorable changes in the gut microbiota, and may also favorably affect mammary microbiota composition and decrease the risk of early menarche, all contributing to reduced BC incidence, recurrence, and mortality. This review explores the connection between a whole plant foods diet and BC risk and mortality as well as the potential mechanisms involved. Additionally, this diet is compared with other dietary approaches recommended for BC. A whole plant foods diet seems the optimal dietary pattern for BC and overall disease prevention as it exclusively consists of whole plant foods which, based on existing evidence, lead to the best health outcomes.