Calcium, Apples Could Help Prevent Breast Cancer Study Finds

Editor's note: This article was supplies by Busch's Fresh Food Market in Ann Arbor.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Why think about calcium? Studies related to calcium and cancer risk are ongoing, but evidence exists that calcium and Vitamin D together help to regulate cell proliferation. In rat studies, calcium suppressed hyper proliferation of mammary tissue.

There were headlines a few months ago about the “dangers” of calcium. Should we continue taking a calcium supplement? Most experts in the United States say “yes.” The study that was quoted was an analysis of 24,000 people in Germany. It was found that the people in this group who consumed around 820 mg of calcium per day had a 31 percent decreased risk of heart attack.

Other factors weren’t taken into consideration- whether or not the people who consumed a higher amount also consumed Vitamin D, for example, which helps our bodies to absorb calcium; or which salt of calcium they were taking.

Calcium Carbonate, the most common calcium supplement in Germany, is not well absorbed like calcium citrate is. Did kidney stones or calcification occur because the calcium carbonate wasn’t sufficiently soluble to get to the bones before it deposited somewhere else? More research needs to be done- but keeping our bones strong and preventing osteoporosis continues to be a very important concern.

What about Pink Lady apples? Apples have recently been added to the American Institute for Cancer Research’s “Foods that Fight Cancer” list. Apples are a source of more than just fiber; malic acid, Vitamin C, Quercetin, and other bioflavonoids all come from apples. So, think pink! Grab an apple a day- maybe our ancestors were right about “keeping the doctor away” with apples!