According to new scientific research, eating a low glycemic index (GI) diet could drastically decrease the risks of breast cancer.

Researchers from the University of Sydney reviewed 10 different studies on the influence a high GI diet has on the development of cancer tumours and discovered that eating high GI foods for five years increases the risk of breast cancer by 8%.

“This makes sense because high GI diet produces high glucose and insulin levels and that is relevant in the case of any cancer because cancer cells thrive on glucose,” explains professor Jennie Brand-Miller to the Herald Sun. “It’s like adding fertiliser.”

The study also went on to explain that breast cancer tumours are encouraged to grow by high levels of insulin, which are created by a high GI diet.

The researchers added that unlike uncontrollable breast cancer risk factors like genetics, family history and age, lifestyle-related risks can be altered by adopting a low GI diet. However, professor Brand-Miller added that this should be combined with a low fat diet too and all, “in moderation”.

The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating that shows how quickly a food containing carbohydrates affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own.

Low GI foods are those that fall into the scale of 0-55, medium being 56-69 and high equaling a 70 GI rating or more.

If you want to follow a low GI diet, take a look at these GI-friendly foods.

• Low GI Diet: 15 Best Low GI Foods

• All Bran

  GI Rating: 30 Eat Instead Of: Shredded wheat (60)

• Aubergine

  GI Rating: 15 Eat Instead Of: Beetroot (64)

• New Potato

  GI Rating: 54 Eat Instead Of: Parsnips (97)

• Whole Milk

  GI Rating: 31 Eat Instead Of: Ice cream (67)

• Prunes

  GI Rating: 29 Eat Instead Of: Dates (103)

• Brown Rice

  GI Rating: 50 Eat Instead Of: Couscous (61)

• Raw Carrots

  GI Rating: 16 Eat Instead Of: Boiled carrots (41)

• Custard

  GI Rating: 35 Eat Instead Of: Soy milk (45)

• Chickpeas

  GI Rating: 42 Eat Instead Of: Baked beans (56)

• Cherries

  GI Rating: 22 Eat Instead Of: Pineapple (66)

• Cashew Nuts

  GI Rating: 25 Eat Instead Of: Rice cakes (87)

• Snickers bar

  GI Rating: 41 Eat Instead Of: Blueberry muffin (Please note: Snickers bar may be low in GI ratings but is high in saturated fat)

• Kidney Beans

  GI Rating: 52 Eat Instead Of: Blackeyed beans (60)

• Apples

  GI Rating: 34 Eat Instead Of: Mango (60)

• Nutella

  GI Rating: 33 Eat Instead Of: Honey (58)