A new study reveals that plant-based diet can reduce the risk of bowel cancer by 22 percent in men. Read to know more about how food habits affect our health.
Connection explained: Plant-based diet and bowel cancer
A new study indicates that replacing meat-heavy foods with a plant-based diet can help in reducing bowel cancer risk in men. The study emphasizes gearing our food habits to improve overall well-being and health. Switching to a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes from a meat-based diet can help in keeping several diseases away.
The study involving 80,000 men revealed that members with a plant-based diet had a 22 percent reduced risk of bowel cancer when compared to those with meat-heavy food choices. The study also included 93,475 women. However, the US-based study did not find a correlation between dietary preferences and bowel cancer risk in women. Researchers believe that the link is clear in men as they have an overall higher risk for bowel cancer. The results are published in BMC Medicine.
“Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. And the risk of developing colorectal cancer over a lifetime is one in 23 for men. But, one in 25 for women,” stated Jihye Kim. Kim is a corresponding author of the study from Kyung Hee University in South Korea.
More on the link between food and health
The study asked the participant to reveal the frequency of consuming certain food items and mention the portion sizes. “Although previous research has suggested that plant-based diets may play a role in preventing colorectal cancer, the impact of plant foods’ nutritional quality on this association has been unclear. Our findings suggest that eating a healthy plant-based diet is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer,” added Kim.
The food groups were differentiated into three major groups: healthy plant foods, less healthy plant foods, and animal foods. Healthy plant foods included fruits, whole grains, nuts, tea, coffee, vegetable oils, and legumes. On the other hand, less healthy plant foods included fruit juices, added sugars, potatoes, and refined grains. “We speculate that the antioxidants found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains could contribute to lowering colorectal cancer risk. This is by suppressing chronic inflammation, which can lead to cancer,” explained Kim.