Cruciferous vegetables help reduce the risk of colon cancer

A meta-analysis recently published in BMC Gastroenterology confirmed that eating a lot of cruciferous vegetables – such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts – can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 20% compared to people who eat less.

Eating lots of cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk of colon cancer. (Source: Pixabay)

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide , with approximately 1.9 million new cases each year and nearly 904,000 deaths in 2022 alone.

Among the factors influencing disease risk, diet is considered one of the most powerful and controllable.

The research team analyzed data from more than 17 studies (7 cohort studies and 10 case-control studies) with a total of 639,539 participants, including 97,595 cases of colon cancer.

The results showed that supplementing with just 20g of cruciferous vegetables per day began to have a clear protective effect, reaching maximum effectiveness between 20-40g. When exceeding 40g/day, the benefits did not increase and remained stable between 40-60g.

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in flavonoids, fiber, vitamin C, and carotenoids, and are also high in glucosinolates—compounds that, when chewed, break down into biologically active isothiocyanates, notably sulforaphane.

These substances have diverse anti-cancer protection mechanisms: Blocking enzymes that activate carcinogens, activating malignant cell death, inhibiting the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors and slowing down the cell cycle, thereby limiting uncontrolled growth.

The results also suggest that geographic factors may influence the level of protection: The effect was more pronounced in studies in North America and Asia, while less evident in Europe and Australia.

The researchers note that although this finding suggests a link between cruciferous vegetable consumption and colon cancer risk, caution should be used in interpreting it due to methodological limitations, differences in study design, and dietary assessment.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/rau-ho-cai-giup-giam-nguy-co-ung-thu-dai-trang-325238.html