Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Now a study has shown how the risk of becoming ill can be significantly reduced.
According to the German Cancer Aid, almost 55,000 Germans are diagnosed with colon cancer every year – men slightly more often than women. One in ten colon cancer cases is now diagnosed in people under 50, and younger people are increasingly dying from it.
Now researchers have examined which dietary factors have the greatest impact on the risk of colon cancer. To do this, they analyzed the eating habits of 542,000 women. Of these, 12,251 developed colon cancer over the next 16 years.
The result: Processed meat and alcohol increased the risk of illness most significantly. A large glass of wine per day (with 20 grams of alcohol – equivalent to around 200 to 250 milliliters) increases the risk of colon cancer by 15 percent. Anyone who eats a lot of red and/or processed meat is also at risk. Excessive consumption increases the risk by eight percent.
However, a certain mineral is associated with a significantly reduced risk of colon cancer: Anyone who consumes an additional 300 milligrams of calcium daily (1,000 milligrams is recommended) reduces the estimated probability by a full 17 percent.
There are already 300 milligrams in a large glass of milk (240 milliliters) or in two cups of yogurt. Calcium is also found in cheese and vegetables such as broccoli, kale and spinach, as well as nuts.
According to the study, fiber and vitamin C also reduce the risk of colon cancer, but to a lesser extent than calcium. “This highlights the potential protective role of dairy products in the development of colorectal cancer, which is largely due to calcium,” said lead researcher Dr. Keren Paper in the BBC.
It is believed that the mineral’s protective effect is due to its ability to “bind to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, thereby reducing their potential carcinogenic effects.”