Crucial Health Information: Can Fiber Reduce Your Cancer Risk?

Increased fiber intake is linked to many positive health benefits.

From improvements to your cardiovascular system and improved blood glucose level, your intake of fiber can influence your body’s digestion and absorption of different nutrients.

But now, fiber could possibly be linked to reducing two deadly forms of cancer - pancreatic and breast cancer.

And because of this, most people in the US are proactively trying to increase their fiber intake.

Let me explain…

Types of Fiber

There are two types of fiber which have shown benefits to your health.

Soluble fiber is absorbed in your stomach, creating a viscous, gel-like substance.

This gel-like substance wraps itself around food particles and slows your stomach’s ability to breakdown the food.

It also slows the emptying of your stomach into your intestines, where many of the nutrients are absorbed.

By slowing down the emptying of your stomach, you are also slowing down the absorption of nutrients by your intestines.

And this can slow the increase of blood sugar and slow your release of insulin.

The other type, insoluble fiber, is also important for your health.

Insoluble fiber cannot be broken down by your body.

It travels through your stomach and intestines, absorbing water and other nutrients in its way.

This allows for nutrients to bind to the fiber and get excreted from your body.

Insoluble fiber, in combination with a lower-fat diet, can lower cholesterol, possibly enhancing heart health.

Fiber is a very important part of a healthy diet.

Fiber and Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US.

Increasing your fiber intake may reduce your risk factors for developing pancreatic or breast cancer.

The rate at which food leaves your stomach and enters into your intestines can be a big factor in rising insulin levels.

Your stomach starts to break down food, but as it enters your intestines, it is broken down further and eventually absorbed by your intestines.

The absorption of nutrients can create a flood of nutrients into your bloodstream.

And this can increase your blood sugar, which will cause insulin to be released from your pancreas.

Insulin is a powerful hormone for shuttling blood sugar into your cells to be burned for more calories.

However, insulin also can speed up the growth of cancer cells.

Fiber can slow stomach emptying which leads to a much slower release of nutrients into your bloodstream.

And this can slow the release of insulin to combat the rising blood sugar.

By reducing your blood sugar, you may also reduce your secretion of insulin.

And this can reduce the cancer cells' ability to grow.

In fact, researchers show that by increasing your soluble fiber intake, you can reduce your risk for developing pancreatic cancer by as much as 60 percent.

And, cellulose and lignin-type fiber can reduce your risk by 60 percent, while fruit fiber can reduce your risk by 50 percent.

In breast cancer cases, researchers showed that for every 10 gram increase in fiber, there was an associated 26 percent decrease in the risk for developing breast cancer.

The researchers believe that fiber can possibly reduce stomach emptying, which can potentially slow the absorption of carcinogenic chemicals in your intestines.

Increase your Fiber

Increasing fiber in your diet can improve digestive health and your health in general.

The average American fiber intake is about 13 grams per day, which is far below the recommended 25 grams for optimal health.

Fiber can slow the absorption of nutrients, which may reduce the release of insulin.

Increasing your fiber intake can potentially reduce your cancer risk and improve your general health and wellness.

A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can increase your daily intake of fiber and improve your health and reduce your risk for developing cancer.


An Even More Crucial Nutrient?