7 ultra-processed foods you should avoid to reduce the risk

Colon cancer (also called colorectal cancer) is no longer just a disease of older adults — its incidence is rising sharply among people under 50. It is a type of cancer that develops in the tissues of the colon or rectum. It starts in the large intestine (colon) and often develops from small, noncancerous clumps of cells called polyps. It’s one of the most common types of cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

The most worrying part: recent research suggests that some of our everyday habits are making us more prone to falling prey to colon cancer, one of them being our indulgence in ultra-processed foods.

As emerging research shows us, what we eat, especially ultra-processed foods (UPFs), could be a major factor behind this worrying trend. Scientists now believe that certain types of industrially manufactured ready-to-eat foods may encourage the formation of precancerous growths in the colon, particularly in young adults. While this does not mean that processed foods directly cause cancer, the evidence highlights an urgent need to rethink our daily diets.

The wiser course of action: to avoid indulging in the food that could put us in the high-risk bracket. Here, let’s explore seven such ultra-processed foods that recent studies link with increased early-onset colon cancer risk.