A new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that postmenopausal women who eat healthy amounts of plant food rich in estrogen-like compounds called lignans may reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.

Lignans are found only in certain foods. Lignans only come from plant foods, such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans. The best source of lignans are flax seeds.

The study, including over fifty eight thousand French women, showed that they had a 17 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer if lignans were part of their diet compared with women having the lowest dietary lignan levels.

A diet containing lots of plant food is hypothesized to offer a breast cancer prevention strategy, however, if you have already been diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer it is best to talk to your doctor before going on any high lignan diet. The jury is still out on whether it can help with lowering the risk of recurrence and if it is safe for ER positive breast cancers.

Flaxseed, as an antioxidant believed to prevent and protect against cancer, contains alpha linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid, and lignan, a phytoestrogen which appears to inhibit estrogen production -- a benefit for women with estrogen-positive breast cancers. For maximum nutritional value, buy whole flaxseed, and measure out the amount the seeds desired for each recipe, grinding the flaxseed in a small coffee bean grinder. Grinding breaks down the outer shell and releases the beneficial oil. Store whole flaxseed in a dry sealed container. Ground flaxseed needs to be refrigerated in an airtight container, and is good for about a month. Flaxseed oil is available, usually in the cooler section of the store, and you can purchase flaxseed oil supplements. To incorporate flaxseed into your daily diet, simply sprinkle fresh ground flaxseed on your breakfast cereal, on lunch or dinner salads, in baking goods, or as a topping for yogurt. The more you use flaxseed, the more uses you will find for it. You can substitute flaxseed oil for other oils when making salad dressings or as a butter substitute on steamed vegetables. Research is continuing to indicate that flaxseed might be a beneficial cancer prevention food for a number of cancers, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma.