Does it matter what you eat after you’ve been treated for cancer? Patients with a history of cancer are rarely given advice about diet. That may now change because of an epidemiological study of data from the UK Biobank involving cancer survivors.
Ultraprocessed Foods Increase the Chance of Early Death:
The UK Biobank study showed that individuals who ate the most ultraprocessed foods were 17% more likely to die prematurely and 22% more likely to die from cancer than those who ate the least (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September, 2024). This was based on the records of almost 14,000 volunteers with a prior history of cancer. The median followup was more than 10 years.
The authors conclude,
“Current research results support the recommendation for individuals with a history of cancer to consume unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as fruits and vegetables.”
Finding the Right Diet for Cancer Survivors:
Earlier, a study of 1,400 German people who had survived colorectal cancer treatment clarified the best diet for cancer survivors. Investigators compared healthful to unhealthful plant-based diets (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2021). To provide the data, volunteers reported on what they ate. Then the researchers scored their dietary choices according to three different indexes. They developed scores for diet quality overall that took animal foods into account as well. In addition, they had two different measures for plant-based diets–a healthful and an unhealthful approach to plates full of plants.
What the Research Revealed:
During an average seven years of follow-up, 200 of the volunteers died. Overall, those consuming a plant-based diet rather than one heavy on ham or burgers were significantly less likely to die during that time. Secondly, those eating the most whole grains, legumes, produce, nuts and tea or coffee were more likely to survive. That was in comparison to those whose diets were full of refined grains, desserts, sweetened beverages, fruit juices and potatoes. Although that difference was intriguing, it fell a bit short of statistical significance. However, it certainly presaged the findings from the UK Biobank research described above.
According to the researchers, statistics also show that sedentary people are most likely to suffer the ill effects of an unhealthful plant-based diet.
They caution further:
“However, more research is needed to further disentangle the impacts of different qualities of plant-based diets on cancer survivors’ health.”
Choosing a Diet for Cancer Survivors:
Whether or not you have already been diagnosed with cancer, you can benefit from a healthful plant-based diet. Consider getting protein from plant sources such as nuts, seeds and legumes. Eating plants rich in polyphenols because they have had challenging growing conditions provides you with these protective compounds. You can learn more about how to keep your intestinal microbes healthy and diverse from our interview with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz. It is Show 1222: How Can You Optimize Your Microbiome?
