This is the diet that reduces the risk of breast cancer, according to an expert: "There are no miracle foods."

Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Spain , and breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in our country. It is also a type of tumor that is often highly preventable by controlling factors such as diet and lifestyle.

This was emphasized by the person in charge of Prevention and Health Promotion of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), Estíbaliz García, in an interview with 20minutos , warned: "There is no miracle diet ; what we're talking about is a way of eating that reduces our chances of getting cancer."

A (true) Mediterranean diet

"Above all, we need to demystify miracle recommendations," she said. "No diet will cure cancer, no food alone will cure or prevent cancer, and no type of diet will guarantee that you won't get cancer. But there are diets that can act as protection and reduce the likelihood of developing a tumor."

"Globally," he continued, "the type of diet that offers us this is the Mediterranean diet. We always say that nowhere else can we eat like Spain, thanks to that Mediterranean diet, but the truth is that not even half of Spanish households incorporate it into their daily lives."

"When we talk about the Mediterranean diet, we have to think about practical issues, about how people can transform their diet to make it healthier and help reduce risk," he argued, highlighting several key points.

Rich in vegetables, legumes and whole grains

"First and foremost, fruits and vegetables," this expert listed. "The best thing is to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and preferably three of fruit and two of vegetables . We consider a serving to be roughly the size of a person's fist."

Furthermore, she added, "Legumes are a wonderful source of protein that we often overlook. They should be our basic protein source, along with other sources such as white meats (turkey, chicken, rabbit, fish). Grains should preferably be whole grain, as fiber also benefits us and prevents spikes in blood sugar and improves intestinal transit at the colon level."

"We should avoid meat," she continued. "Not only for breast cancer, but for other cancers like colon cancer, it's beneficial to reduce the number of times we eat red meat and, above all, to eliminate or avoid processed meats, since the direct relationship with this type of cancer has been proven. When we talk about processed meats, we're talking about sausages, hamburgers, hot dogs, and in general everything we buy pre-prepared."

"And we mustn't forget dairy products , eggs, olive oil, and other healthy fats like those found in nuts ," he added.

Finally, he added that "it's important that we have water with every meal. No more than a glass of wine a day; that must be eliminated. There is no potential benefit of alcohol that outweighs its harm. The only safe consumption is zero."