Many cases of bowel cancer are linked to eating red and processed meat, but replacing these types with other types can reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Bowel cancer is treatable and curable if diagnosed at an early stage, but this chance drops dramatically as the disease progresses.
Studies have determined that eating a lot of red and processed meat increases the risk of bowel cancer.
Processed meat refers to any meat that has been processed to add flavor or to extend its shelf life, such as sausages, salami, and bacon.
A recent study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, found that replacing these types of meat with unprocessed meat reduces the chances of disease.
Researchers from Northumbria University found that this simple exchange leads to a significant reduction in intestinal genotoxins, which can cause bowel cancer, and increases healthy gut bacteria.
Daniel Coman, Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Northumbria University, said: “Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with more than 40,000 new cases each year, and the data correlates with continued consumption of red and processed meat.”
He added, “Our findings suggest that this high-fiber protein source helps reduce the long-term risk of bowel cancer.”
Looking at 20 healthy adult males, ages 18 to 50, the randomized clinical trial was divided into two phases, in one they ate processed meat and in the second they didn’t.
After analyzing stool and urine samples from the volunteers of the second stage, the researchers found that the levels of detected genetic toxins decreased significantly, while it increased significantly in the results of the first stage.
