Fish, Meat and Colon Cancer
Cancer of the colon or rectum was more common in people who consumed more red or processed meat and less common in those who consumed more fish, says a massive study that tracked more than 475,000 men and women from 10 European countries for roughly five years. People who reported eating at least 6 ounces of red and processed meat a day had a 35 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer than those who consumed less than 1/3 ounce. (Processed meat includes sausage, hot dogs, cold cuts, ham and hamburgers.)
In contrast, those who consumed at least 3 ounces of fish per day had a 30 percent lower risk than those who consumed less than 1/3 ounce a day. Poultry had no impact on risk. Earlier studies in the U. S. saw no link with poultry, either.
What to do: Eat more fish and limit red meats to no more than three small 3-ounce servings a week. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 97: 906, 2005.
The artificial sweetener aspartame (Nutra-Sweet, Equal) caused lymphomas (cancers of the lymph system) and leukemia (cancers of the blood-forming cells) in female—but not male—rats, according to a large Italian study.
The lowest level that increased risk was close to what many people consume in foods—equal to about eight cans of aspartame-sweetened diet soda a day for adults, or two cans a day for children.
What’s more, brain tumors occurred in 12 of the 15,000 animals fed aspartame but in none of the 300 animals fed aspartame-free group—a difference not statistically significant but troubling enough to warrant further research.
However, lung cancer is the only cancer in women that has soared since aspartame hit the market in the early 1980's. That suggests that aspartame might not affect humans as much as it did the lab animals—though it’s possible that it might take another decade for cancers to occur.
What to do: Until the dust settles, switch to foods without artificial sweeteners or ones sweetened with honey or xylitol (natural occurring substances). Continue to avoid acesulfame potassium (which is often used together with Splenda) and saccharin. Both may also promote cancer.
European Journal of Oncology 10: 2005
In contrast, those who consumed at least 3 ounces of fish per day had a 30 percent lower risk than those who consumed less than 1/3 ounce a day. Poultry had no impact on risk. Earlier studies in the U. S. saw no link with poultry, either.
What to do: Eat more fish and limit red meats to no more than three small 3-ounce servings a week. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 97: 906, 2005.
The artificial sweetener aspartame (Nutra-Sweet, Equal) caused lymphomas (cancers of the lymph system) and leukemia (cancers of the blood-forming cells) in female—but not male—rats, according to a large Italian study.
The lowest level that increased risk was close to what many people consume in foods—equal to about eight cans of aspartame-sweetened diet soda a day for adults, or two cans a day for children.
What’s more, brain tumors occurred in 12 of the 15,000 animals fed aspartame but in none of the 300 animals fed aspartame-free group—a difference not statistically significant but troubling enough to warrant further research.
However, lung cancer is the only cancer in women that has soared since aspartame hit the market in the early 1980's. That suggests that aspartame might not affect humans as much as it did the lab animals—though it’s possible that it might take another decade for cancers to occur.
What to do: Until the dust settles, switch to foods without artificial sweeteners or ones sweetened with honey or xylitol (natural occurring substances). Continue to avoid acesulfame potassium (which is often used together with Splenda) and saccharin. Both may also promote cancer.
European Journal of Oncology 10: 2005
posted by Stan Kent at
10:01 PM
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