Chicago: A recent study has brought encouraging news for those looking to lower their risk of colon cancer through natural and affordable dietary choices. Researchers from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine have found that consuming walnuts may significantly reduce inflammation in the body and lower the risk of colon cancer.
The study, published in Cancer Prevention Research, involved 39 participants aged 40 to 60, all considered high-risk for colon cancer. Before the trial, participants avoided ellagitannin-rich foods to minimize baseline levels of urolithins, potent anti-inflammatory compounds produced in the gut after consuming walnuts.
After three weeks of a walnut-rich diet, participants underwent high-definition colonoscopies. Tissue samples from removed polyps showed a decrease in proteins commonly associated with colon cancer, including vimentin, a marker linked to advanced disease stages. Dr. Daniel Rosenberg, study author and director of the colon cancer prevention program at the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, emphasized that walnut consumption had systemic benefits, improving gut health and reducing inflammatory markers in blood, urine, and fecal samples.
The key lies in ellagitannins, phytochemicals in walnuts that gut bacteria convert into urolithin A, which may influence immune response and cancer-related proteins. While benefits vary based on an individual's ability to metabolize ellagitannins, Rosenberg highlighted that the walnut-enriched diet particularly helped participants with a BMI over 30, suggesting added benefits for those with higher health risks.
Health experts, including Chicago-based nutrition coach Michelle Patidar, continue to explore similar foods like matcha for their cancer-fighting properties. With no apparent downside, experts suggest incorporating walnuts into daily meals as a simple, low-cost strategy for colon health.
