Study finds coffee and vegetables reduce breast cancer risk

1 May 2019, 15:11 | Updated: 1 May 2019, 15:26

Drinking coffee could reduce risk of cancer. Picture: GETTY

It's good news for caffeine addicts who find themselves craving a coffee at all times...

Drinking coffee can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a recent survey.

A study carried out by researchers in Spain found that diets rich in phenolic acids - found in coffee - can protect against the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.

Phenolic acids are also found in a number of plant-based foods, including citrus fruits, oats, rice, blueberries, whole grains and red wine.

11,028 women were asked to record how often they consumed specific foods which contained phenolic acid - and researchers then compared it to a huge database which listed how high in the acid each food item was.

Make sure you get your five-a-day. Picture: GETTY

The research took 12 years to complete, with 101 cases of breast cancer found out of the 11,028 women surveyed.

Those who had a high intake of coffee, fruits and vegetables had a 65% reduced risk of breast cancer.

Susannah Brown, the acting head of research interpretation at the World Cancer Research Fund, deemed the findings to be "interesting" adding that it "further confirms the importance of consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables for cancer prevention."

The researchers concluded: "A higher intake of hydroxycinnamic acids especially from chlorogenic acids - present in coffee, fruits and vegetables - was associated with decreased post-menopausal breast cancer risk."