20-05-2025
'Healthy' everyday foods that could increase your risk of one type of cancer
A host of 'healthy' everyday foods could increase your risk of one type of cancer, according to doctors.
Yoghurts and post-workout protein shakes are among the many supermarket products that contain emulsifiers, additives which are used to hold ingredients together and create a consistent texture. While their presence in foods tends to go unnoticed by most consumers, scientists have begun to pay more attention in recent years to the effects they can have on gut health. It is thought many common emulsifiers could weaken the protective layer of mucus lining the gut, allowing harmful bacteria to multiply.
This in turn can lead to chronic inflammation - a common trigger for bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer or colon cancer in the US.
It follows an uptick in this form of cancer among young people, with an American Cancer Society-led research team finding increasing rates in younger adults in 27 out of the 50 countries they studied - including the UK.
Dr Maria Abreu, president of the American Gastroenterological Association, told the "'One of the things that has changed very dramatically in our food supply is the addition of emulsifiers.
"Chronic inflammation leads to colon cancer, and I suspect that's transformative in this new rise of young people developing colon cancer."
Kids' treats such as peanut butters are among the foods high in emulsifiers such as mono and diglycerides, which are designed to stop oil and nut spread from separating inside the jar.
But a 2024 PLOS Medicine study that tracked 92,000 adults for seven years found that participants who admitted often consuming foods with high levels of these had as much as a 46% increased risk of developing breast or prostate cancer.
Protein shakes often contain an emulsifier made from red seaweed known as carrageenan, which has been found in multiple studies to potentially contribute to tumour growth in animals.
Packs of cheese meanwhile contain cellulose gum, which is used to stop it from sticking together.
A 2015 study on mice funded by the US National Institutes of Health found that this altered gut bacteria, triggered inflammation and led to increased cases of bowel cancer.
Bread, chocolate, cakes, ice cream, margarine and processed meats also contain different types of emulsifiers.
While there is a growing field of study into a possible link between emulsifiers and damage to the gut, this has not yet been definitively proven, and he Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK currently considers them safe for consumption.
The FSA's webpage on additives - which also include antioxidants, colourings, gelling agents, preservatives and sweeteners - says they are "strictly reviewed" and that "action is taken where problems are found".
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of bowel cancer include noticeable changes in bowel habits, such as looser stools, frequent diarrhoea or constipation. Other signs are blood in your poo, which may look red or black, and unexplained abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort. Some people may feel a lump in their tummy, or experience unexplained weight loss and extreme tiredness.
If you notice any of these symptoms for three weeks or more, you should see a GP.
