Do you want to significantly lower the chances of having bowel cancer? Science has good news for you: you should have three fish servings every week, according to major new research.
The research was published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and was funded by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). It had almost half a million subjects. According to the data collected by the team, regularly eating fish, about three servings per week, lowers the risk of bowel cancer by 12%.
Eating oily fish like herring, mackerel, and salmon already had a positive reputation, health-wise. These fish protect heart health, but also protect your brain from degenerative conditions. This is all thanks to the anti-inflammation properties of omega-3 fatty acids found in them.
A few fish servings per week have a great impact
The new research is the first one conducted on a large scale that makes a connection between eating fish and having a lower risk of bowel cancer. Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer followed over 476,160 people hailing from all over Europe, during a time frame of 15 years.
But what kind of fish servings? It doesn’t matter that much. According to the study, both lean and fatty fish hit the sweet spot when it comes to lowering the risk of bowel cancer. But the same thing cannot be said for shellfish, FYI.
“This large study adds to the scientific evidence suggesting that consuming fish could reduce the risk of bowel cancer. The biological reasons by which fish consumption potentially lowers risk are not fully understood but one of the theories include specific fatty acids such as omega-3, found almost exclusively in fish, being responsible for this protective effect via their anti-inflammatory properties,” said Dr. Anna Diaz Font, Head of Research Funding at the World Cancer Research Fund, which funded the research.
If you want to have more raw fish in your life, then read up on how many servings you should be eating to stay healthy.