The latest headlines tell us eating processed and ultraprocessed foods may increase the risk of various cancers. A new study suggests that risk can be reduced by replacing even a small amount of processed foods with an equal amount of minimally processed foods.

Processed food covers a wide gamut and includes cheeses, canned vegetables with added salt, canned fruit with added sugar and meat preserved with salt. Ultraprocessed foods tend to be lower in nutrients and fiber and higher in sugar, fat and salt compared to unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Some examples of ultraprocessed foods include soda, packaged cookies, chips, frozen meals, flavored nuts, flavored yogurt, distilled alcoholic beverages and fast foods.

In a study of 450,000 participants, researchers found that swapping out just 10% of processed foods with minimally processed foods lowered the risk for cancer overall by 4%. The analysis revealed that swapping out just 10% of processed foods with minimally processed foods significantly lowered the risk for cancer overall as well as for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, head, neck and colon cancer, rectal cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer.

Making this substitution with ultraprocessed foods also appeared to lower cancer risk but to a lesser degree. Swapping 10% of ultraprocessed foods for minimally processed foods lowered the overall cancer risk by 1%, the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma by 27% and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by 20%.

The research, led by Nathalie Kliemann from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, was published in the March issue of The Lancet Planetary Health.

The investigators performed a dietary substitution analysis using data from more than 450,000 participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study and looking at 25 anatomical sites. EPIC study participants, who had no cancer diagnoses prior to enrollment, were identified between March 1991 and July 2001. Of the 450,111 included in the analysis, 47,573 were diagnosed with cancer during a mean follow-up of 14.1 years. The average age at recruitment was 51 years.

Food items were classified according to their level of processing using the NOVA classification system: minimally or nonprocessed foods (NOVA 1), processed culinary ingredients (NOVA 2), processed foods (NOVA 3) and ultraprocessed foods (NOVA 4).

The authors concluded that increased consumption of minimally processed and fresh foods was associated with reduced overall risk for cancer and risk for specific cancers, and increased consumption of processed and ultraprocessed foods was associated with increased cancer risks.

Q and A

Q: I read that extra fiber in your diet may reduce migraines. Is that true?

A: A study in Frontiers in Nutrition in January found that fiber-rich foods were linked with lower incidence of severe headaches and migraines. The study found that those with the highest intake of fiber had the lowest headache or migraine incidence. The study showed that for every 10 gram per day increase in dietary fiber intake, headache and migraine prevalence decreased by 11%.

RECIPE

The opposite of processed foods is cooking real foods at home. Here’s a recipe for chicken honey nut stir-fry that fits into a healthy lifestyle. It’s from Better Homes and Gardens’ “Eat to Beat Diabetes.”

CHICKEN HONEY-NUT STIR-FRY

Servings: 4 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup diagonally sliced carrots 1/2 cup sliced celery 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 cup orange juice 2 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1/4 cup cashews 1/4 cup sliced green onions 1 1/3 cups hot cooked brown rice In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over high heat. Add carrot and celery; stir-fry vegetables for 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil. Add half of the chicken; stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken mixture to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining chicken. Return all to wok. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice and cornstarch. Add soy sauce, honey and ginger, whisking until well mixed. Add soy sauce mixture to chicken mixture in wok. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; cook and stir 1 minute more. Top with cashews and green onions. Serve stir-fry with hot cooked rice. Serves 4 (1 cup stir-fry and 1/3 cup rice each).

Per serving: 336 calories; 28 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams total fat (2 grams saturated); 73 milligrams cholesterol; 353 milligrams sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Illinois. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com.