Ultraprocessed Foods Linked to Early Onset of Colorectal Cancer
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Briana Mercola
4.6 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 21 January 2026
⏱️ 9 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
- Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults, with U.S. rates increasing 2.4% per year since 2012. New evidence points to dietary changes as a contributing factor
- A recent study in JAMA Oncology found that those consuming the most ultraprocessed foods had a 45% higher risk of developing precancerous colorectal tumors before age 50
- Risk increased with higher ultraprocessed food intake, then plateaued beyond seven to eight servings daily. Sweetened beverages, sauces, spreads, and condiments showed the strongest links
- You can reduce ultraprocessed food intake by planning real meals, replacing snack foods with whole ingredients, tracking triggers, and making unprocessed options more visible and accessible in your home
- Lowering your linoleic acid intake, increasing fiber gradually, and supporting gut health with protective foods and habits also helps reduce your risk of colorectal cancer
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What if the snacks you reach for each day were quietly raising your risk of precancerous colon growths before you turn 50? |
| 0:06.0 | Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. |
| 0:09.0 | Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. |
| 0:15.0 | No reading required. Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights. |
| 0:20.0 | Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster. |
| 0:25.2 | Today we're breaking down new evidence that links ultra-processed foods to early-onset |
| 0:30.1 | colorectal tumors, what counts as ultra-processed and the most practical ways you can lower |
| 0:35.4 | risk by changing what's in your kitchen and on your |
| 0:38.4 | schedule. |
| 0:39.3 | I'm Alara Sky. We'll keep this direct and actionable. |
| 0:43.3 | You'll hear what a large U.S. cohort found about ultra-processed intake and adenomas, |
| 0:48.1 | why certain food categories stand out, and how to translate the data into steps you can |
| 0:52.4 | start using this week. |
| 0:54.4 | Colorectal cancer and younger adults has been climbing, |
| 0:57.2 | with U.S. incidence rising an average of 2.4% per year since 2012. |
| 1:03.2 | It's the third leading cause of cancer death in men and fourth in women |
| 1:06.9 | and second overall when combined. |
| 1:09.4 | With that trend in mind, walk us through the study that |
| 1:11.9 | looked specifically at ultra-processed foods and early colorectal tumors. Researchers used the |
| 1:17.8 | nurse's health study too, following more than 29,100 women who had at least one lower |
| 1:24.0 | G.Y endoscopy before age 50. They confirmed precancerous growths by reviewing |
| 1:29.7 | records for conventional adenomas and also tracked serrated lesions, which follow a different |
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