Do Not Ditch The Dairy: A Daily Glass of Milk Slashes The Risk of Bowel Cancer

Never stop drinking milk. According to a recent study, this dairy produce, packed with the goodness of calcium and vitamins is the key to protection from bowel cancer, one of the deadliest and third most common cancers across the world.

Researchers from the University of Oxford have suggested that drinking the equivalent of a glass of milk every day lowers your risk of developing the disease by nearly a fifth—or 17 per cent.

Bowel or colon cancer starts in your large intestine and develops from a few polyps in the inner lining of your colon. Doctors say regular screening tests can detect precancerous polyps before they can become cancerous tumours after which it becomes extremely difficult to treat them as they can spread fatally.

The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, examined 97 dietary factors and their effects on bowel cancer risk in over half a million women. Over almost 17 years, 12,251 participants were diagnosed, with calcium and alcohol showing the most significant impact on risk reduction and increase, respectively.

The study concluded that on average, adding 300 mg of calcium to your daily diet, roughly the amount found in a large glass of milk, has lowered bowel cancer risk by 17 per cent. Many other foods that are rich in calcium, like leafy greens and yogurt also show a protective effect, suggesting it is the mineral itself doing the heavy lifting.

However, the researchers did not identify a similar benefit from eating cheese or ice cream, though cheese has been linked to some other health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and sleep apnea.

It has been medically proven that calcium strengthens your bones and teeth – but now it is also believed that it offers significant protection against cancer as well. “Calcium binds to bile acids and free fatty acids, creating a harmless “soap” that prevents them from damaging the gut lining,” Dr. Keren Papier, lead researcher of the study, told Cancer Research, UK.

According to the study, alcohol consumption increases bowel cancer risk, as drinking the equivalent of one large glass of wine daily can significantly raise your risk by at least 15 per cent.

Processed and red meats are also associated with higher bowel cancer risk.

Experts say that early-onset colorectal cancer rates have been on the rise, and even though experts are yet to be able to pinpoint the exact cause, some speculate that Western-style diets are to blame.

A few other ways you can reduce your risk of bowel cancer include:

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