Researchers link white bread to higher risk of colorectal cancer

A new large-scale study has shown that regular consumption of white bread may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer, one of the most common and dangerous types of oncological diseases.

The study was conducted in the UK and included more than 118 thousand people, who were monitored for almost 13 years. Researchers compared the study participants' diet, lifestyle, and incidence of the aforesaid disease. The result was alarming: those who often consumed white bread had a 10% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.

The reason is the composition of white bread, reports med-practic. It is made from refined flour, which has almost no fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, such foods quickly raise blood sugar levels, overload the digestive system, and do not give a feeling of satiety—forcing you to eat more.

The authors of the study found also that, along with white bread, alcohol is also among the respective risk factors. But fiber-rich foods—vegetables, legumes, whole grain bread—as well as substances such as calcium and magnesium, on the contrary, protect the body.

A proper diet reduced the risk even in people with a genetic predisposition to cancer.

Doctors recommend at least partially replacing white bread with whole grain, limiting alcohol consumption, and including more vegetables in the diet. According to them, simple changes in diet can play a key role in the prevention of oncological diseases.

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