NHS surgeon reveals this secret ingredient reduces colon cancer risk by 17% and it is not fibre: How to get it
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that globally, colon or colorectal cancer was the third most common type of cancer in 2022, with over 1.9 million cases diagnosed. It is expected to reach 3.2 million new cases annually by 2040.
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Therefore, it is a need of the hour that you incorporate colon-healthy practices into your daily lifestyle. While consuming dietary fibre is one of these steps, there is another essential nutrient, other than fibre, that is known to protect our colon, as shared by Dr Karan Rajan in an Instagram post on November 11.
Your secret colon guardian
Dr Rajan, an NHS surgeon and health educator, says the nutrient is calcium. He talked about the importance of including calcium in your diet to safeguard your colon and said, “You can lower your risk of colon cancer by 17 percent by ensuring you get enough of this one nutrient, and it’s not fibre.”
He highlighted that a January 2025 study of over half a million women across 16 years, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that just 300 milligrams of dietary calcium was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of colon cancer.
Dr Rajan noted that, “These statistics held true even after accounting for age, weight, smoking, exercise, and genetics.” He also noted that the good news is that calcium from both dairy and plant-based sources had similar protective effects against colon cancer.
How can you add calcium to your diet to protect your colon?
According to the NHS surgeon, three hundred milligrams of calcium is just 30 percent of your daily value. Moreover, you can get this from:
- 1 cup of milk
- Six ounces of plain yoghurt
- A cup of cooked collard greens
- Even 2 tablespoons of chia seeds provide almost 200 milligrams of calcium
Beyond the bone protective effects of calcium, Dr Rajan noted that it appears to keep the colon healthy by binding to bile acids and forming a harmless soap. This substance can actually ‘prevent further damage to the gut lining as well as reduce colon permeability,’ which refers to the gaps between the cells of the colon.
Lastly, Dr Rajan encouraged getting daily calcium content from whole food sources, as calcium from supplements was associated with only a 9 percent reduced risk of colon cancer. “If you pair calcium sources with fibre-rich plants, you achieve a double whammy of colon cancer risk reduction,” he added in the end.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
