Risk of colon cancer slashed by eating specific types of vegetables, study finds

Dr. Fredrick Peters
10 hours ago
2 min read

Diet is known to be a key modifiable risk factor for colon cancer — particularly a lack of vegetables and dietary fiber, as well as excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption, according to researchers.

Cruciferous vegetables — including broccoli as well as cauliflower, kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts — have previously been identified as risk-reducers, but it was unclear what volume of consumption had this benefit.

These types of vegetables contain special natural compounds called glucosinolates, which break down into powerful substances called isothiocyanates, the researchers revealed.

Isothiocyanates can help to keep cancer at bay by detoxifying the body, killing damaged cells and slowing or stopping the growth of unhealthy cells. Researchers analyzed 17 studies that included a total of 639,539 participants, 97,595 of whom were ultimately diagnosed with colon cancer. The studies were pulled from the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases.

Based on the participants’ food questionnaires and cancer status, the study found that consuming cruciferous vegetables was linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. Compared to participants who ate the least amount of the veggies, the group that ate the most had a 17% lower risk of colon cancer.

Eating approximately 20 grams per day was linked to a "significant decrease" in risk, with the decline leveling off at around 40 grams per day. The findings were published in the journal BMC Gastroenterology.

With nearly two million diagnoses and 903,859 deaths each year, colon cancer is the third most common and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths globally, statistics show.

My personal roasted kale chips recipe!

Ingredients

2 bunches fresh kale
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TSP sea salt
3 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions

Remove large stems from kale. Chop into chunks and wash well. Dry really well! This will make all the difference in allowing the kale to bake up crispy, instead of "steaming" because of water droplets.

Place kale in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, and garlic powder.

Lay flat on a large baking sheet. For best results, don't overcrowd the baking sheet.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.

My kids are 8 and 6 and they actually love this healthy, crunchy snack!

Nutrition