From parade.com
Diet can play a big role in protecting against this rising cancer
Key Points
- Cancer death rates in the U.S. are declining overall, except for colorectal cancer in youth.
- Regular intake of certain fruits is linked to lower colorectal cancer risk.
- Experts recommend a diverse, fibre-rich diet and regular screening to reduce colorectal cancer risk.
Overall, cancer death rates in the U.S. are declining, which is amazing news. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer mortality in U.S. adults younger than 50 has decreased 44% since 1990. Rates of breast cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer and leukemia have all gone down.
Unfortunately, the rate of colorectal cancer is on the rise, particularly among younger adults. According to the Cancer Research Institute, one in five people diagnosed with colorectal cancer is under 55 years old. “Colorectal cancer death in people less than age 50 is not only rising, but is now the number one cause of cancer death in this age group,” says Dr. Leybelis Padilla, MD, a gastroenterologist and the founder of Unlocking GI.
Why is this happening? Researchers don’t know exactly, but it’s likely due to more than one reason. Dr. Neil Parikh, MD, a gastroenterologist at Connecticut GI, says that it likely comes down to people living a more sedentary lifestyle, eating more ultra-processed foods and genetics.
This also means that diet and lifestyle play a role in lowering your risk of colorectal cancer. For example, a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology found that eating certain types of fruit regularly was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. Which fruits should you up your intake of, according to the study? Here’s what you need to know.
General Tips for Lowering Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer
While eating more fruit can play a role in lowering your risk of colorectal cancer, it’s certainly not the only action you should take. Dr. James Cox, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor at Texas Christian University Burnett School of Medicine, says that exercising regularly, not using tobacco, minimizing alcohol consumption and having a diet low in ultra-processed foods are all science-backed ways to lower your risk.
What should you eat instead? All three gastroenterologists we talked to advocate for eating a whole food, fibre-rich diet. That means lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant-based proteins, fish and lean animal proteins.
Dr. Cox says that it’s also important to follow the colorectal cancer screening guidelines. This is especially important since symptoms for colorectal cancer don’t typically show up until the cancer is already at an advanced stage. It’s advised that everyone 45 and older be screened for colon and colorectal cancer. If one of your family members had colon or colorectal cancer, you should be screened earlier, which you should talk to your doctor about.
5 Fruits for Lowering Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer
Remember, eating fruit regularly is just one part of lowering your risk for colorectal cancer. With that in mind, let’s get into what researchers found about which fruits made the biggest impact when it came to mitigating risk.
Researchers analysed 22 different scientific studies, collectively involving more than 1 million people. They highlighted four fruits that were associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. Each one is listed below, plus one more fruit that the gastroenterologists we talked to say can also help lower the risk.
1. Watermelon
According to the analysis, eating watermelon regularly was associated with a 26% lower risk of colorectal cancer—that’s pretty major! “We often credit tomatoes for being healthy because of their lycopene, a powerful red antioxidant that gives them the colour they are known for. This same lycopene is also found in watermelon and it may actually be more available to the body to absorb than tomatoes, making watermelon an underrated powerhouse,” Dr. Padilla explains.
In addition to being high in lycopene, Dr. Parikh says that watermelon is high in antioxidants, including vitamin C. Antioxidants, he explains, help combat oxidative stress—a key contributor to cancer. “Watermelon also has a high water content, and hydration has always been beneficial to improve bowel flow and overall gut health,” he adds.
2. Apples
Researchers found that regularly eating apples was associated with a 25% lower risk of colorectal cancer. Dr. Cox says this is likely due to apples’ fibre and flavonoids (plant-based compounds that act as antioxidants and help reduce inflammation).
Dr. Parikh also says that apples’ fibre likely plays a role, explaining that apples contain soluble fibre, which fuels healthy gut bacteria.
3. Kiwi
Eating kiwi regularly was associated with a 13% lower risk of colorectal cancer. “Kiwi is rich in vitamin C, fibre and unique digestive enzymes like actinidin. This allows it to facilitate a diverse and healthy gut microbiome,” Dr. Parikh says.
Kiwi also helps with constipation. One scientific study found that eating two kiwis a day improved constipation in people with irritable bowel syndrome-constipation. Why does this matter? Dr. Cox says that there is a theory that better gut transit time (how quickly food is digested and excreted), the less time that bodily tissue is in contact with stool, which could lower the risk of colon and colorectal cancer. Scientific research backs this up, showing a connection between prolonged gut transit time (constipation) and an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
4. Citrus fruits
Like kiwi, citrus fruits are also high in vitamin C, so it’s not too surprising that these types of fruits were associated with a 9% lower risk of colorectal cancer. “Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits are high in vitamin C and flavonoids. Flavonoids also have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which allow for enhanced integrity of the gut lining,” Dr. Parikh says.
5. Berries
While not highlighted in the analysis, Dr. Parikh also recommends eating berries regularly if you want to lower your risk of colorectal cancer. Though they’re small, he says berries are loaded with fibre and polyphenols, which have both been associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
While all of these fruits may be associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer, Dr. Cox emphasizes that all fruits and vegetables are beneficial, so his advice is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables that you like.
Dr. Padilla says this too. “It’s important not to get too stuck in the weeds of figuring out which foods have which antioxidants or individual superpowers because what we know is that when it comes to overall health and most especially microbiome health, dietary diversity matters. The real power comes not from one isolated nutrient, but from the way the many compounds, fibres and other plant components in whole foods work together,” she says.
But if you’re not in the habit of eating any fruit at all, any of the five aforementioned fruits are great options to start with. You’ll be lowering your risk of cancer one bite at a time.
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