fat and breast cancer

   Nutrition questions for you....Is palm oil bad for you?  I just realized my Maranatha Almond butter has palm oil in it!

                                              ....Is ground flax or flax in general safe for someone like me who has had breast cancer?  I have heard flax is similar to soy with estrogen properties?  I'm scared of the soy/estrogen link.

Thanks for your questions!  Palm oil is often added to food as a replacement for partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) that was previously used in peanut butter, margarine and other foods..  You will see it lurking in "natural" peanut or almond butter, crackers, cookies and other commercially available foods.  Palm oil is saturated fat, the type that comes from coconut oil, which can raise blood cholesterol and has a possible link to breast cancer.  I would stick with nut butters that do NOT contain palm oil, such as Smucker's Natural Peanut butter or Krema where the oil is on the top.  If you hate stirring the oil, store the peanut butter upside down in your pantry before and after stirring.  It makes it less likely to separate.

As for flaxseed, there's been recent research to actually support its use in breast cancer survivors.  It has weak estrogen properties which may be beneficial in tumor prevention.  Try ground flaxseed in oatmeal, your salad or add to a smoothie. The oil goes rancid quickly, so use ground flax seed within a few weeks of grinding, or keep them whole and grind right before using.