A US government-funded study reports a connection between everyday cooking oils and the surge in colon cancer among young people, as reported by The Mirror.
The research, published in the medical journal Gut, examined 81 tumor samples from patients aged 30 to 85. Scientists discovered significantly elevated levels of bioactive lipids (compounds created when seed oils such as sunflower, grapeseed, canola, and corn oil break down in the body) in cancerous tumors. As The Mirror reports, "It has long been reported that seed oils lead to inflammation in the body, but these lipids are now believed to help colon cancer grow and stop the body from fighting the tumours."
Not all oils carry the same risks. Olive and avocado oils, rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids rather than the problematic omega-6 found in seed oils, appear to be safer alternatives.
Seed oils weren't originally intended for human consumption. According to The Mirror, "they were originally invented by candle-maker William Procter in the early 1900s as a cheaper alternative to animal fats in soap. The cottonseed oil named their invention Crisco, which would soon become a food staple for Americans."
Previously:
• This is what a colon-stapler looks like
• Colon cancer incidence rises sharply in under 50s
• This robot crawls up your butt to examine your colon
