What you put in your body may be increasing your risk of colon cancer
Preventing cancer starts with your diet

Rebecca Hoffman
You’ve learned since childhood that choosing foods like fresh vegetables and whole grains is part of a healthy lifestyle.
But knowing which foods to avoid can be just as important as filling your plate with vibrant veggies and lean proteins. In fact, steering clear of some foods can help you reduce your risk of developing colon cancer.
Colorectal cancer — cancer of the large intestine and the rectum (the last part of your gastrointestinal tract) — is the third most common cancer in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths.
Only 1 in 5 people who get colorectal cancer have a family history of the disease.
Researchers find healthy diet and lifestyle choices may cut your risk of colorectal cancer in half.
Below are some foods (and drinks) you should try to avoid:
Processed and red meats
If processed and red meats like bacon, sausage, salami, hot dogs or beef are part of your diet, pay close attention to how much you consume.
Researchers found that eating 76 grams of red or processed meat every day increases your risk of colon cancer by 20%. That’s equal to any one of these:
— 1 hot dog
— 1/2 hamburger patty
— 2 or 3 strips of bacon
Many studies have found the more processed meat and red meat you eat, the higher your risk of colorectal cancer. You don’t have to completely give up steak or hamburger, but it’s best to eat them only occasionally and in moderation.
Try this instead
To reduce your risk of colon cancer, consider swapping red meats for poultry and fish. It can help to start small by trading these foods out once or twice a week at first. You might even consider a vegetarian dinner one night a week.
White bread
Just like processed meats, processed grains can also increase your risk of colon cancer.
Refined grains in white bread and other white flour foods can increase blood sugar levels, which leads to insulin resistance. This can raise your risk of colon cancer as well as other cancers, like kidney cancer.
Eat this instead
Whole grains like oatmeal, wheat breads and even popcorn support healthy, cancer-fighting gut bacteria.
For every 10 grams more of whole grains you eat a day — equal to one slice of bread — you cut your risk of colon cancer as much as 17%.
How do you know if a food is made with whole grains?
If you look at a food label, a whole grain will have at least 1 gram of fiber for every 10 grams of carbs.
Alcohol
Many studies find a link between drinking alcohol and colon cancer. Even moderate drinking — two or more alcoholic drinks per day — can increase your risk of developing the disease.
The less you drink alcohol, the more you reduce your risk. Decreasing your alcohol consumption, even by one drink a day, can make a difference.
Seek information
and support
You also could see other benefits when you stop drinking alcohol:
— Weight loss
— Decreased anxiety
— Better sleep
If you need support to cut back, your doctor can help you find ways to change your drinking habits.
More foods that
fight colon cancer
While there are foods that increase colon cancer risk, there are many foods that help prevent it, too.
Foods like vegetables, whole fruits and whole grains all fight colon cancer. This is likely because they are all high in fiber.
Eating an apple a day, like the old saying goes, can cut your colon cancer risk. Not a fan of apples? You can get the same benefits from any of these:
— 1/3 can of tomatoes
— 2 cups of romaine lettuce
— 2 stalks of celery
Or consider switching to a plant-based diet. Plant-based diets don’t restrict your intake of meat, but they focus on vegetables as the main course and meat as a side dish.
More tips to decrease your risk of colon cancer:
What’s the take-home message? The development of colon cancer depends on many factors, and diet is only 1 part.
Another key part: Get your routine colonoscopy or other preventive screening as recommended by your doctor.
If you have an average risk of cancer, you should get your first colonoscopy at age 45.
Overall, a diet high in fiber and low in fat, red meats, processed meats and grains is best to help minimize your risk.
Drinking alcohol, caffeine or sugary drinks in moderation also lowers your risk of colorectal cancer, as does maintaining an active lifestyle.
For the latest health and wellness tips and advice, visit geisinger.org/balance.
— — — —
Dr. Rebecca Hoffman is a board-certified and fellowship-trained general surgeon. She attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where she received her medical degree as well as completed her residency. Dr. Hoffman completed her fellowship at Washington University. She is certified by the American Board of Surgery.