Q. I have heard that flaxseed and flaxseed oil protect against breast cancer. Which is better to use?

A. I recommend them both—one tablespoon of flaxseed oil and one tablespoon of flaxseeds per day is a great strategy to fight breast cancer. I recommend flaxseed oil for its higher alpha-linolenic acid content and flaxseeds for their higher lignan content. Both are equally important.

A recent study in women with breast cancer found that those who had low levels of alpha-linolenic acid, the main fatty acid in flaxseed oil, were at higher risk that the cancer would spread to other parts of the body. To put a positive spin on this study, supplementing the diet with flaxseed oil, which contains approximately 53% alpha-linolenic acid, may help prevent breast cancer, invasive tumors, and metastasis.