Drinking coffee may reduce the risk of breast cancer

A study published in the journal Breast Cancer suggests that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of breast cancer.

A new study by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden (Karolinska Institute) found a direct link between heavy coffee consumption and a reduction in the risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, a subtype of breast tumors.

The researchers surveyed 6000 Swedish women and found that women who drank five or more cups of coffee a day had a 57 per cent lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer.

However, the study did not prove why coffee drinking reduced the risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, only found a link between the two.

Scranton University in Pennsylvania tested the levels of antioxidants in various foods and found that coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in the American diet. Studies have shown that antioxidants can reduce the risk of cancer.

Coffee is the best source of antioxidants and can protect cells from damage, thereby reducing the risk of cancer.

Nonetheless, more research is needed to prove the causes and effects of coffee drinking and reducing the risk of subtype breast cancer, the researchers said.