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Experts say that a high fiber diet may be able to offset some of the risk associated with colon cancer.
That is good news to hear, considering recent headlines have been screaming the fact that childhood exposure to E. coli bacteria is the likely source of the rise in colon and rectal cancers among young adults.
One recent study explains that there is a huge connection between E.coli infections in children under 10 years and colorectal cancer in their young adult bodies (under 50 years old).
A type of toxin known as colibactin that can mutate DNA in the colon is to blame. A toxin produced by certain types of E. coli bacteria.
Without a time machine to discourage your younger self from eating boiled eggs you hid away in your room long after Easter, what can you do?
Fortunately, you have options.
The answer is fiber.
At least one of the answers, anyway.
A high fiber diet has been shown to have certain impacts on our microbiome and the environment in our colon. A connection that may be able to help.
The American Cancer Society’s statistics on colon and rectal cancer are startling.
Excluding the various types of skin cancers, colon and rectal cancers are collectively the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women.
Based on trending data, they expect around 107,320 new cases of colon cancer and 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer diagnoses this year.
Men have a marginally higher chance of diagnosis. Men have a 1 in 24 chance of developing it, while women’s odds are 1 in 26.
Though rates of cancer have declined by a mere 1% since 2012, a certain demographic has seen an uncharacteristic increase.
Adults under 50.
In fact, colorectal cancer diagnosis has increased an average of 2.4% each year since 2012 for people in this age group, compared to those diagnosed at age 70 or older.
What’s worse, recent reports show that 30 to 40% of UK and US children had colibactin-producing E. coli bacteria in their bowels. An indication of future colorectal cancers.
With mortality being a serious cause for concern, and an estimated 52,900 deaths attributed to these cancers in 2025, people are looking for answers. Especially since these cancers are expected to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among young adults by 2030.
Without that aforementioned time machine. What can we do to minimize our risk?
Reversing the damage may be optimal. But so far, that is out of our medical technology grasp. Gut experts say that reducing levels of colibactin is the key.
A high fiber diet is one way to do this.
One study showed that low-fiber diet in mice generated higher levels of colibactin-producing E. coli bacteria in their microbiome (the microbiological environment in your gut). These mice also expressed a lot of inflammation. However, increasing the fiber in the mouse diet showed promising results.
In fact, these symptoms appear to be reversed in the mouse subjects once a high fiber diet was introduced.
Fiber has this effect because fiber-rich foods not only nourish your body but also feed your good gut bacteria. Feeding the healthy aspect of your microbiome helps to displace harmful, pathogenic bacteria. Reducing their numbers also helps to reduce the toxins they produce.
So, fiber is good for your happy microbes.
Unfortunately, the research has not yet replicated the same reversal observed in mice in humans. Additional studies are needed to determine this effect in people.
Experts say that a healthy, and high fiber diet full of whole foods is a way to generate a diverse gut microbiome. A strong defense against colibactin-producing E. coli bacteria.
One report indicated that as much as 93% of people in the UK do not eat the recommended amount of fiber each day (30 grams). I imagine that Americans are fairly close to that statistic.
High fiber foods come in many different forms. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and a category consisting of legumes, nuts and seeds.
When planning your meals, keep fiber in mind. Choose more whole grains. Try to fit in nuts and seeds. Don’t forget about beans and legumes, as they contain large amounts of fiber. Plan for high fiber vegetables and sweeten the day with high fiber fruits.
Start with fiber in breakfast. Consider adding chia seeds to oatmeal or a smoothie.
Don’t forget to feed your good gut bacteria with healthy prebiotic fibers. Foods like leeks, garlic, onions, black beans, and pumpernickel rye.
In addition to what you eat, what you come into contact with also impacts your microbiome. One study even found that “dipping hands in soil daily for two weeks changed the skin and gut microbiome” providing support that natural interactions impact gut diversity.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “A High Fiber Diet Could Be the Solution to Reduce Risk of Colon Cancer,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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