A recent study published in Gut reveals a crucial link between ultra-processed foods and colon cancer in people under 50 years old. Researchers discovered that tumors from 81 US patients had high levels of inflammation-boosting lipids, specifically omega-6 fatty acids, but lacked the helpful lipids omega-3 fatty acids, which combat inflammation.
Inflammation is a normal response to heal wounds or fight off infections, but chronic inflammation can damage cells and hinder their ability to fight cancerous cell growth. The study’s authors suspect that ultra-processed foods, a common source of omega-6 fatty acids, are a major contributor to this trend.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ultraprocessed-foods-high-in-seed-oils-could-be-fueling-colon-cancer-risk