Oh, the power of bright orange and deep green veggies — full of alpha and beta carotene. A new analysis of data finds those who consume more carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, peppers, cantaloupe and dark leafy greens have a good chance of lowering their risk of breast cancer.

Researchers found that women with higher blood levels of alpha-and beta-carotene were significantly less likely to have breast cancer. Data in the study was from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition and published in Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, May 2016.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared 1,502 breast cancer patients with an equal number of healthy women. Blood samples were used to measure levels of carotenoids, vitamin A (retinol), vitamin C and vitamin E (tocopherol). Comparing the highest versus the lowest one-fifth, levels of alpha-carotene (39 percent lower) and beta carotene (59 percent lower) were inversely associated with breast cancer incidence. The association was limited to estrogen receptor negative tumors, and no statistically significant associations were found for vitamins A, C or E.

Researchers said the results supported at 2012 meta-analysis of eight studies that concluded women with higher blood levels of carotenoids may be at reduced risk of breast cancer.

Just what are carotenoids? They are the yellow, orange and red pigments synthesized by plants. In addition to foods of those colors, they are also found in dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale and green veggies such as broccoli and peas.

The study's authors caution against trying to find the same benefit from dietary supplements of alpha and beta carotene. Pills, they write, don't deliver the dietary fiber, phytonutrients and other vitamins and minerals found in vegetables and fruits.

The bottom line is: Choose the most colorful fruits and vegetables. And to get the most benefit of carotenoids from food, chop, puree or cook fruits and vegetables to increase their bioavailabilty. It also helps to eat them along with some healthy fats — unsaturated is best — because they are fat-soluble nutrients.

Q and A

Q: Do I need more water when I drink coffee so I don't get dehydrated?

A: Drinking water throughout the day is an excellent habit, but you don't need extra because you drink coffee. Research now shows that moderate amounts of coffee, whether regular or decaf, contribute to keeping your body hydrated. The small diuretic effect from the caffeine is more than counter-balanced by the fluid we get as we drink coffee. In two recent studies in men, coffee did not differ from tea, a sports drink, sugary cola, diet cola, or plain water in how it affects signs of water loss over a few hours or days. Studies showing little or no dehydrating effect of coffee usually involve amounts of caffeine in two or three eight-ounce cups of coffee (250 to 300 milligrams). Given these findings, there's no reason to expect having more coffee would cause dehydration problems. Moderate coffee consumption, three to five cups a day, is linked to lower risk of type 2 diabetes and AICR's latest reports found that coffee links to lower risk for endometrial and liver cancers. The concern, then, is simply to avoid amounts of coffee that lead to sleep disturbance or individual health issues. — American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE

For weeknight dinners, sometimes the fewer the ingredients the better. Here's a recipe from Cooking Light magazine that's quick and easy — five ingredients.

Grilled Steak with Pineapple Rice

1/4 cup lower sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (4-ouce) beef tenderloin fillets

Cooking spray

1 (8-ounce) can pineapples slices in juice, drained

6 green onions

2 (8.8-ounce) packages precooked brown rice

7/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine soy sauce, pepper and beef in a large zip-top plastic bag. Massage sauce into beef; let stand at room temperature 7 minutes, turning bag occasionally. While steak marinates, heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange pineapple and green onions in pan; cook 5 minutes or until well charred, turning to char evenly. Cut onions and pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Heat rice according to package directions, stir in pineapple, onions and salt. Keep warm. Add beef to grill pan coated with cooking spray; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve beef with rice mixture. Serves 4 (serving size: 3 ounces beef and 3/4 cup rice).

Per serving: 382 calories, 31 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 10.3 g fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 645 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Sheri Wetherell