Colorectal cancer

Disease

Also known as: colon cancer, rectal cancer

Foods That May Help

Foods linked to Colorectal cancer in the research literature.

TurmericProtects against
Curcumin reduced aberrant crypt foci by nearly 40 percent in 30 days. Six months of curcumin plus quercetin decreased polyp number and size by more than half.
Source: How Not to Die
Black RaspberriesProtects against
Nine months of daily black raspberry treatment cut the polyp burden of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis in half.; After 9 months of daily black raspberry treatment, the polyp burden of 14 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis was cut in half.
Source: How Not to Die
BeansReduces risk of
quarter cup daily
Increasing bean consumption by even less than a quarter cup a day cut odds of precancerous polyp recurrence by up to 65 percent.
Source: How Not to Die
Purple PotatoesReduces risk of
Anthocyanin-enriched purple-fleshed sweet potato p40 plays a role in colorectal cancer prevention (Lim et al. 2013)
Source: How Not to Die
BerriesReduces risk of
Colorectal cancer reversal with berries
Source: How Not to Die

Bioactive compounds linked to Colorectal cancer in the research.

Dietary fiberReduces risk of
O'Keefe 2015: fat, fiber and cancer risk differences between African Americans and rural Africans; plant-based diet reduces digestive cancer risk
Source: How Not to Age
PhytatesProtects against
quarter cup of beans daily
Phytates inhibit the growth of virtually all human cancer cells tested, including colon cancer, while leaving normal cells alone. Less than a quarter cup more beans daily cut precancerous polyp recurrence by up to 65 percent.; Phytates inhibit growth of virtually all human cancer cells tested. Eating beans helped mediate cancer risk from meat, cutting precancerous polyp recurrence by up to 65%.
Source: How Not to Die
Salicylic AcidReduces risk of
India, with its spice-rich diets, has among the lowest worldwide rates of colorectal cancer—the cancer most sensitive to the effects of aspirin
Source: How Not to Die
CurcuminProtects against
less than 1 teaspoon turmeric per day
Curcumin reduced aberrant crypt foci (precancerous lesions) in smokers' rectums by nearly 40% within 30 days. Six months of curcumin plus quercetin cut polyps by more than half.
Source: How Not to Die
Short-Chain Fatty AcidsReduces risk of
Short-chain fatty acids from fiber fermentation play a role in colorectal cancer protection (Tan et al. 2014; Fechner et al. 2013)
Source: How Not to Die

Foods and compounds that may contribute to Colorectal cancer.

Processed Meat
Classified as group 1 carcinogen by WHO
Source: How Not to Age
Heme iron
Heme, not protein or inorganic iron, is responsible for endogenous intestinal N-nitrosation arising from red meat
Source: How Not to Age
Heme iron
Heme iron in meat is particularly associated with colorectal cancer. People who donated blood to reduce iron stores cut their risk of gut cancers by about half.; Heme iron in meat generates hydroxyl radicals. People randomized to give regular blood donations cut their risk of gut cancers by about half.
Source: How Not to Die
Red Meat
A 2017 Harvard/WHO study claimed red and processed meats raise colon cancer risk by 17% (HR=1.17). Attia argues this is so weak it may not matter much compared to other protein sources like chicken.
Source: Outlive
Processed Meat
A risk ratio of 1.17 is so minimal that it might not matter that much whether you eat red/processed meats versus some other protein source like chicken
Source: Outlive