4 Foods A GI Surgeon Eats Every Day To Ward Off Bowel Cancer

Though it feels like almost every “healthy recipe” video I watch focuses on protein, lots of us are actually likely to be overdoing it on the nutrient.

Only 10% of us, meanwhile, eat enough fibre (the NHS says adults should eat 30g a day).

That’s a shame, seeing as fibre can help to lower your risk of developing bowel cancer. So it’s no wonder gastrointestinal (GI) surgeon Dr Karan Rajan’s daily diet is full of the stuff. 

It is not, however, the only way to support your gut.

In an Instagram Reel, the surgeon said: “I eat these four things every single day to reduce my risk of colon cancer.”

1) Yoghurt

Though you might think the advantage is down solely to gut-friendly bacteria, Dr Rajan explained that plain yoghurt is a “rich source of calcium.”

It turns out that calcium is linked to decreased bowel cancer risk (huh!) – according to a 2014 paper, every additional 300mg of calcium was linked to an 8% lower likelihood of developing the condition.

Both dairy and plant-based yoghurts will do the task, he added.

2) Berries

These and other prebiotics, which contain non-digestible fibre (think asparagus, bananas, apples, oats, and flaxseeds), make a daily appearance in the surgeon’s diet.

“They’re super easy to pair with probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt to create a synbiotic effect,” he explained. 

That means the benefits of both enhance one another, creating a uniquely gut-healthy combo. 

3) Beans and other fibre-rich foods

Of course, the GI expert gave a special shout-out to fibre, which he consumes through foods like beans. 

The heart, brain, and colon benefits of fibre are especially useful for those who eat red meat, the doctor added. 

“Just 10 extra grams of fibre a day – that’s half an avocado and a cup of mixed berries – lowers your colon cancer risk by 10%,” he added.

Oats, brown rice, legumes, beans, wholegrain versions of foods like pasta and bread, and fruits and veggies are all fibre-rich.

4) Black coffee

Sharing that he consumes a cup of Joe “at least once a day,” Dr Rajan explained: “the probiotic fibres and polyphenols have a protective effect on the cells of the colon against DNA damage.”

It’s been linked to a 15-21% lower chance of developing bowel cancer, he added, though other research into the health benefits of coffee has found that sugar and creamer-free versions seem to offer more advantages.