One of the best pieces of advice we can give to someone wanting to improve their health is to eat more real, unprocessed foods. A recent study found that “men who consumed high rates of ultra-processed foods were at 29% higher risk for developing colorectal cancer—the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States—than men who consumed much smaller amounts.” The ultra-processed foods that had the strongest association were foods like “sausages, bacon, ham, and fish cakes” as well as “sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, fruit-based beverages, and sugary milk-based beverages.” Interestingly, the study didn’t find the same connection for women so more research needs to be done to understand if and why there is a difference between genders and their risk for colorectal cancer.
https://now.tufts.edu/2022/08/31/new-study-links-ultra-processed-foods-and-colorectal-cancer-men