by: John Phillip
(NaturalNews) Researchers from Britain and The Netherlands provide conclusive evidence that a high fiber diet can have a dramatic effect on colon cancer incidence. Reporting in the British Medical Journal, scientists performing a meta-analysis of twenty five prospective studies, including more than two million participants, found that eating a high fiber diet, particularly cereal and whole grains, is linked to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Worldwide, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer, with 1.2 million new cases diagnosed annually. Health-minded individuals will want to include at least fifty grams of fiber from vegetable and grain sources each day to minimize the risks associated with colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States each year.
High Fiber Diet Lowers Colorectal Cancer Risk by Twenty Percent
Researchers reviewed the results of twenty-five independent studies in an effort to garner information to explain the health benefits of a high fiber diet on colorectal cancer. After an exhaustive analysis of the data provided by the large data pool, the findings demonstrated a clear gradient in risk linked to the amount of dietary fiber intake. The study authors found cereal fiber and whole grains (such as breads, cereals, oatmeal, brown rice and porridge) to help prevent colorectal cancer.
They explain that each ten gram per day increase in intake of total dietary fiber and cereal fiber was linked to a 10 percent reduction in risk of colorectal cancer as compared to the lowest levels of fiber intake. Adding three servings (90 grams per day) of whole grains daily lowered the risk of colorectal cancer by 20%.
In this meta-study, researchers found no difference between fiber obtained from fruit and vegetable consumption or from grains. Many people attempt to restrict intake of grains in order to control blood glucose surges, as 90 grams of fiber per day from refined or whole grains would be detrimental to their metabolic health.
Fiber obtained from vegetable sources would be a viable source of protection from colorectal cancer. The study team concluded "In summary, our meta-analysis suggests that a high intake of dietary fiber, particularly from cereal and whole grains, is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer." Make a conscious effort to include 50 to 90 grams of fiber in your diet each day to dramatically lower the risk of colorectal cancer.