The Carb to Keep You Healthy from Within, Slashing Cancer Risk by 60%

A groundbreaking study has revealed that resistant starch, found in familiar foods such as oatmeal and particularly green bananas, can significantly reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. This discovery stems from the CAPP2 trial, involving nearly 1,000 people with Lynch syndrome from various countries. The research was conducted by experts at the University of Newcastle and Leeds in Australia.

Lynch syndrome, affecting about one in 300 people in the UK, is a genetic disorder that can significantly increase the risk of cancer, mainly colorectal, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Those living with the syndrome have up to an 80% chance of developing colorectal cancer during their lifetime, in addition to facing other cancers earlier than the general population.

Results from the study showed that consuming a regular dose of resistant starch, also known as fermentable fiber, for two years had no impact on the incidence of colorectal cancer. However, notably, this type of starch reduced the rate of cancers in other parts of the body by more than half.

This protective effect was particularly evident for cancers related to the upper gastrointestinal tract, including conditions affecting the esophagus, stomach, biliary tract, pancreas, and duodenum. Notably, the protective effect of resistant starch persisted for up to ten years after participants stopped taking these supplements.

The study, published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, was conducted with a detailed plan through a double-blind survey, including a 10-year follow-up phase, along with data collection from national cancer registries for up to 20 years for 369 participants.

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested in the small intestine but is instead fermented in the large intestine, where it promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria. Similar to fiber, resistant starch offers numerous health benefits and has lower caloric content than traditional starch.

Professor John Mathers, a leading nutrition researcher at the University of Newcastle, suggests that resistant starch may reduce the risk of cancer by altering how bacteria metabolize bile acids. He explains, “We think resistant starch may reduce cancer formation through a mechanism that regulates bacteria’s bile acid metabolism, thereby reducing the production of bile acids that can damage DNA and lead to cancer.” However, he emphasizes the need for further research to understand this mechanism better.

Professor Mathers highlights the significant reduction in cancer risk attributed to resistant starch, with findings suggesting that this type of carbohydrate can lower the incidence of multiple cancers by over 60%. This effect is particularly pronounced in cancers related to the upper gastrointestinal tract, which is crucial as upper gastrointestinal cancers are often challenging to diagnose and tend to be detected at later stages.

Additionally, the study found that aspirin could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 50%, leading the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK to recommend aspirin use for those at high risk of hereditary cancer.