--- title: The Importance of Diet for Colorectal Cancer  description: An important risk factor for colorectal cancer is diet, and dietary choices are also vital during and after treatment. image: https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/hs-fs/hub/383975/file-1395455305.png --- [PATIENT PORTAL](https://totalaccess.healthyhumans.com) [PAY ONLINE](https://www.totalaccessmedical.com/pay-online/) [![Total Access Medical LLC Logo](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/hs-fs/file-2447450201-png/images/tam-logo.png?width=270&name=tam-logo.png "Total Access Medical LLC Logo")](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/) ≡ - [How We Fit Into Your Life](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-healthcare-fit-life/) - [What Is Concierge Medicine?](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-healthcare-fit-life/concierge-medicine/) - [Member Stories](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-healthcare-fit-life/concierge-medical-care-testimonials/) - [Doctor Stories](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-healthcare-fit-life/boutique-medicine/) - [About](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/about-concierge-health-services/) - [Founder's Story](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/about-concierge-health-services/concierge-practices-story/) - [Doctors](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/doctors) - [Specialties](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-medicine/) - [Family Medicine](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-medicine/main-line-family-medicine/) - [Internal Medicine](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-medicine/internal-medicine-philadelphia/) - [Holistic Medicine Integrative Medicine](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-medicine/holistic-medicine-philadelphia/) - [Geriatric Medicine](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-medicine/geriatric-doctors/) - [Getting Started](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/getting-started-concierge-care/) - [How TAM Works with Insurance](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/concierge-healthcare-fit-life/concierge-medicine-and-insurance/) - [HSA & FSA](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/explained-fsa-and-hsa-for-concierge-medicine) - [FAQ](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/getting-started-concierge-care/faq/) - [Plans & Programs](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/medical-concierge-services-cater-needs/) - [Individual Programs](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/medical-concierge-services-cater-needs/use-personal-wellness-program-take-care/) - [Family Programs](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/medical-concierge-services-cater-needs/concierge-family-medicine-programs/) - [Corporate Programs](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/medical-concierge-services-cater-needs/corporate-health-programs/) - [Senior Programs](http://www.totalaccessmedical.com/medical-concierge-services-cater-needs/boutique-medicine-seniors/) - [Blog](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog) - [Living Well](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog) - [TRANSITIONING TO DPC](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/en/blog-transition) - Shop [About](http://totalaccessmedical.com/about/) [Blog](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/) # Total Access Medical - Direct Primary Care Blog # The Importance of Diet for Colorectal Cancer  Posted by [Total Access Medical](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/author/total-access-medical) on Apr 04, 2018 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Screen_Shot_2014-08-07_at_9.25.28_AM.png](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/hs-fs/hub/383975/file-1395455305.png?width=317&name=file-1395455305.png)Colorectal cancer is a type of [cancer](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/cancer-oncology/) that affects a person's rectum, colon, or both. It is more likely to appear in older individuals, but there are many other risk factors associated with its emergence, such as genetic and lifestyle factors. One of the most cited [risk factors](https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/risk_factors.htm) is diet — referring specifically to poor dietary habits that often also lead to obesity. Below, we look at which foods and nutrients have been said to raise the risk of colorectal cancer, and which types of diet have been deemed helpful in its prevention. What Foods to Not Eat Numerous studies have indicated that a diet too rich in red meat - all mammalian muscle meat, including beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse, and goat - is associated with a heightened risk of colorectal cancer. A [review](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2231486/) of the evidence supporting this link notes that "consumption of red meat might be related directly to the incidence of colorectal cancer or indirectly because a diet high in meat tends to be low in vegetables, fruit, and fiber."   --- Noteworthy: [Recent Research: Lower Your Risk of Breast Cancer ](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/recent-research-lower-your-risk-of-breast-cancer-) Noteworthy: [How To Prevent Unhealthy Food Cravings](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/how-to-prevent-unhealthy-food-cravings)  Noteworthy: [10 Vital Measures to Lower Risk of Dementia ](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/10-vital-measures-to-minimize-risk-of-dementia) ---   A[study](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.2910500211/abstract) of North Italian populations showed that individuals who eat red meat alongside eggs, cheese, and other fatty foods — as well as refined starches — on a frequent basis had an almost twice higher risk of developing rectal or colon cancer than their peers who favored a plant-based diet. Another [report](http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)00444-1/fulltext) determined that every 50-gram portion of processed meat, such as bacon or salami, eaten every day increases a person's risk of developing colorectal cancer by 18%. What Foods to Eat In order to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, eat a healthful diet that favors fruit and veg. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and fibers could help to minimize the risk, and many existing studies seem to support this advice. A [study](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2174939) from the Loma Linda University in California found that vegetarian-style diets are linked to a decreased risk of colorectal cancer.  One [study](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319520.php) from last year also suggests that the more colorful your meal the better, and that individuals should focus on integrating a rainbow of fruit and vegetables into their diets. More specifically, their experiments indicated that purple potatoes might protect against colon cancer. --- [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/383975/00ca31ab-c428-4e7c-b496-e2a751a1e840.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/383975/00ca31ab-c428-4e7c-b496-e2a751a1e840) Topics: [Diet](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/diet), [Healthy Eating](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/healthy-eating), [Cancer](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/cancer) - [Transitioning to DPC](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/en/blog-transition) - [Health](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog) ### Subscribe to Blog ### Posts by Topic - [Diet (51)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/diet) - [Healthy Eating (46)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/healthy-eating) - [Concierge Medicine (43)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/concierge-medicine) - [Recent Research (41)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/recent-research) - [Nutrition (38)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/nutrition) - [Direct Primary Care (37)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/direct-primary-care) - [Exercise (32)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/exercise) - [Health (30)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/health) - [Weight Loss (27)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/weight-loss) - [Healthcare Today (26)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/healthcare-today) - [Primary Care Today (25)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/primary-care-today) - [Wellness (25)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/wellness) - [Staying Healthy (22)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/staying-healthy) - [Healthy Mind (20)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/healthy-mind) - [Cancer (19)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/cancer) - [Personal Wellness Plan (18)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/personal-wellness-plan) - [Female Health (16)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/female-health) - [Breast cancer (15)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/breast-cancer) - [Physician Shortage (15)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/physician-shortage) - [Aging (14)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/aging) - [Executive Health (13)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/executive-health) - [Heart Health (12)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/heart-health) - [flu (12)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/flu) - [prevention (12)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/prevention) - [Diabetes (11)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/diabetes) - [Stress Management (11)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/stress-management) - [brain health (9)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/brain-health) - [Alzheimer's (7)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/alzheimers) - [Men's Health (7)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/mens-health) - [Doctor's Appointments (6)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/doctors-appointments) - [Elder Care (6)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/elder-care) - [Healthcare (6)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/healthcare) - [philadelphia (6)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/philadelphia) - [Diabetes Management (5)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/diabetes-management) - [Dr. Daphne Goldberg (5)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/dr-daphne-goldberg) - [Family Medicine (5)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/family-medicine) - [Concierge Primary Care Physicians (4)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/concierge-primary-care-physicians) - [Dr. David Perkins (4)](https://wellness.totalaccessmedical.com/blog/topic/dr-david-perkins) - [Dr. Teresa A. 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