Folate: Drink Alcohol? Get Enough Folate

Folate: Drink Alcohol? Get Enough Folate

Reduce cancer risk with folate

by Kelley Herring

While the glass seems half full when it comes to drinking red wine (thanks to the powerful antioxidant resveratrol) we can't ignore the fact that the glass is half empty when it comes to alcohol's effect on hormone-related cancers.

Numerous studies have found that even moderate alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women. However, in those women consuming at least one alcoholic drink per day, folic acid intake of at least 600 mcg daily resulted in about half the risk of breast cancer compared with women who consumed less that 300 mcg of folic acid daily.

Studies have also found low folate intake and high alcohol intake to be associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer. In a study of more than 45,000 male health professionals, intake of more than two alcoholic drinks per day doubled the risk of colon cancer. The combination of high alcohol and low folate intake increased the risk of colon cancer further. However, among those in the two-cocktail-a-day group, the men who got 650mcg or more of folate per day negated that increased risk.

If you enjoy alcohol in moderation, make sure you're getting enough folate in your diet. Our Healthiest Food Tool and Personalized Recipe Search can help you boost the level of folate in your diet.

This Nutrient Cuts Colon Cancer Risk by 41%

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people getting high levels of this important nutrient, had up to a 41% reduced risk of colon cancer. But you have to get it from a particular source in order to benefit.

See p. 23 of Fats That Heal, Fats That Harm to learn more and then find hundreds of recipes with this cancer-fighting ingredient on our website.

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Zhang SM, Willett WC, Selhub J, Hunter DJ, Giovannucci EL, Holmes MD, Colditz GA, Hankinson SE. Plasma folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003 Mar 5;95(5):373-80.Chen WY, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Hankinson SE, Hunter DJ, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Speizer FE. Use of postmenopausal hormones, alcohol, and risk for invasive breast cancer Ann Intern Med. 2002 Nov 19;137(10):798-804.

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