Eating walnuts² may help to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, research suggests.

调查显示，吃核桃可能会帮助降低患乳腺癌的风险。

Walnuts have been linked to heart disease prevention

The nuts contain ingredients（作料，材料） such as omega-3 fatty acids（脂肪酸）, antioxidants（抗氧化剂，防老剂） and phytosterols（植物甾醇类） that may all reduce the risk of the disease.

Mice fed the human equivalent（等价的，想等的） of two ounces (56.7g) of walnuts per day developed fewer and smaller tumours³（肿瘤）.

The US study was presented to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.

Researcher Dr Elaine Hardman, of Marshall University School of Medicine, said although the study was carried out in mice, the beneficial effect of walnuts was likely to apply to humans too.

She said: "We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic⁴ diseases（慢性病）."

"It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer."

Previous research has suggested eating walnuts at the end of a meal may help cut the damage that fatty food can do to the arteries⁵（动脉）.

It is thought that the nuts are rich in compounds that reduce hardening of the arteries, and keep them flexible.

In the latest study mice were either fed a standard diet, or the walnut¹-based diet.

The animals fed walnuts developed fewer tumours, and those that did arise took longer to develop and were smaller.

Molecular⁶ analysis showed that omega-3 fatty acids played a key role - but other parts of the walnut contributed as well.

Nutritional⁷ value

Anna Denny, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said evidence for nuts reducing the risk of heart disease was currently stronger than it was for their anti-cancer properties.

She said: "Although nuts are high in fat (and thus calories), the fatty acids in nuts are predominantly（优越地，卓越得） 'good' unsaturated fatty acids.

"Other additional components⁸ of nuts that may contribute to a reduction in heart disease and cancer risk include fibre and 'bioactive（活性作用的）' compounds.

"Among the many bioactive compounds found in nuts are phytosterols and flavonoids（类黄酮）.

"More research is needed before it will be possible to attribute specific health benefits of nuts to specific bioactive compounds because nuts contain a complex mixture of different bioactive compounds."

Josephine Querido, of the charity Cancer Research UK said there was insufficient⁹ evidence to show that eating walnuts could prevent breast cancer in humans.

She said: "We know that a healthy balanced diet - rich in fruit and vegetables - plays an important part in reducing the risk of many types of cancer.

"The strongest risk factor for breast cancer is age - 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 so attending screening is important.

"Making lifestyle changes, such as keeping a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake¹⁰ and taking regular exercise, can also help reduce breast cancer risk."