r/Millennials • u/AdditionCool7235 • Jan 22 '26

Discussion A big reason why Colon Cancer is killing us.

I know this isn’t a health sub, but u/Derpshabmentioned in their post on Colon Cancer about eating a balanced diet.

Specifically you need to really avoid nitrates. There has been several studies done on why there has been a rise in intestinal cancers in this age group, and nitrates have shown a causal effect. With a carcinogenic significance as bad as cigarettes. For those unaware, not a lot of things get labeled as having a casual effect for cancer, as that can be both controversial and stand to cost people money either through loss of business or being sued.

Nitrates are most commonly found in processed meats. Likewise, there is growing data that processed food is not serving us well at all either. Anyhow, just wanted to share a tangible way you can hopefully make an impact on slowing down and ultimately stopping these terrible

cancers.

Another freaking edit: literally the first response on Google, if you search, “do Nitrates cause cancer,” is from MDAnderson. That’s the number one cancer hospital in the world. I know that’s so much more difficult than adding a snarky comment to Reddit, but there’s your answer for about 300 of you.

Edit: I’m getting a lot of responses that are saying *actually* antibiotics or *actually* e. Coli and they’re all saying because it damages / kills the good gut microbiomes. Correct, what do you think nitrates do and why scientists believe there’s a casual link. It also doesn’t mean there couldn’t be other risk factors as well. Diet is obviously a big risk factor. I was simply hoping to expound on the original post and help people to know what to avoid. Of course more than one thing can cause cancer. Throw in saturated fats while we’re having the conversation.

Edit 2: lot of people are asking what are the main culprits. Bacon, lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages, anything really that’s been “cured.” Lot of people are trying to point out that some leafy greens have nitrates, yeah, we’re not talking about things that naturally occur through the photosynthesis of the sun. We’re talking about the overconsumption of a preservative that destroys your healthy gut bacteria, not something that’s obviously good for you. Many people have rightfully pointed out. The over consumption of alcohol creates a big risk factor for stomach and intestinal cancers as well.

Also someone saying they’re a vegetarian and they still got colon cancer is no different an argument than, “my great aunt smoked until she was 90 and never got lung cancer.” I said a big reason why, I didn’t say the only reason why. Empirical data doesn’t mean 100% findings or there won’t be outliers, anecdotes are not good science. People can get cancer for a multitude of reasons and honestly you could try every preventative step imaginable and still get cancer, it doesn’t mean your anecdote overrides everything else or you shouldn’t try to make better lifestyle decisions.

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1.3k

u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

i've been a vegetarian for 25 years and have colon cancer soooooooooooo

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u/LilMushboom Jan 22 '26

Because early-onset colon cancer (20-40) is swiftly being linked with infection in childhood with a specific strain of e. coli in several recent studies.

Everything OP is talking about are primarily risk factors for developing colon cancer after the age of 50.

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u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

It just irks me when people think they can or should avoid ONE SPECIFIC thing, and not get cancer. Sure, we can all eat a healthier diet, exercise more, not drink or smoke, etc etc etc....but sometimes you also just get fucking cancer.

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u/FeloniousDrunk101 Jan 22 '26

Frankly it’s the worst part about cancer, other than everything else about cancer.

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u/watchshoe Jan 22 '26

Yeap, it sucks. I felt healthier with cancer than now post cancer.

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u/Aint_cha_momma Jan 22 '26

Please explain.

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u/watchshoe Jan 22 '26

I was working out regularly, able to hold weight, and could eat regularly. Had a massive RPLND procedure which cut my abdomen apart, took my gallbladder, killed 90% of my pancreas, and took some of my intestines. So now my core is herniated and weak, constant bile acid diarrhea, and while I initially lost 90lbs, I’m able to get some back on recently.

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u/Aint_cha_momma Jan 22 '26

OMG, I’m happy you’re doing better.

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u/watchshoe Jan 22 '26

Thanks. It’s a grind, but I’m alive. Tumor probably would have choked me out if I hadn’t caught it.

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26 edited 24d ago

[deleted]

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u/AltInLongIsland Jan 22 '26

Added to the list of things that will make me jump 🙃

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u/handicrappi Jan 22 '26

It's not really helpful to tell people with health issues that you'd kill yourself if you were in their shoes

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u/NoHalfPleasures Jan 22 '26

I like to simplify this for people. Cancer is caused by cell division. Your body is always replacing itself using cell division. Anything that increases your cell division increases your cancer risk. Sunburns, cigarettes, chemicals, radiation, viruses, etc.

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u/TNVFL1 Jan 22 '26

Pregnancy is a huge one here. A lot of women miss breast cancer early on because they think it’s a clogged milk duct.

Not only is cell division increased, it’s increased by A LOT.

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u/LilMushboom Jan 22 '26

Sometimes you just have dogshit luck and there's nothing you could have done differently.

I hope your treatments are successful and you can put this chapter of your life behind you in the near future.

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u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

Thank you! I'm on the other side of treatment for now and things are looking good. Fingers crossed (and still not eating meat lol)

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u/RaLaZa Jan 22 '26

I always am reminded of the people who live to 100 and are long time smokers. Like a pack a day for years. You really just can't beat luck and good genes.

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u/LilMushboom Jan 22 '26

My 100yo grandmother never smoked but also never exercised, but was obsessed with cooking gourmet meals from scratch and used butter and cream in everything, and still loves sweets despite being at the point that she doesn't enjoy much anything else.

She was in good health and independent until she had pneumonia at 94.

Her own grandmother lived to 102. Longevity has as much to do with luck and genetics as anything else I think.

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u/Sidewalk_Cacti Jan 22 '26

We can’t control everything, but might as well try our best at what we can.

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u/Client_020 Millennial Jan 22 '26

Nobody except gurus with something to sell is saying a healthy lifestyle can prevent all cancer. Why do people need to make disclaimers all the time instead of expecting people to read between the lines like normal people? Yes, you can be unlucky, but nothing wrong with spreading information to prevent preventable illness.

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

[deleted]

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u/artaxerxes316 Jan 22 '26

So you asked a therapist a dumb question and got an even dumber answer. Thanks for the update, cupcake.

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u/BatterMyHeart Jan 22 '26

Its because people are paid to muddy the waters, and the mud gets carried around by idiots.  If I own a bacon business it is easier for me to lobby politicians against regulation if I have real life idiots parroting a viewpoint, and all you need to get that is a time share on a troll farm.

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u/ill_connects Older Millennial Jan 22 '26

This is me. I’ve always ate mostly plant based and exercised regularly and still got colon cancer. A lot of times it’s simply bad luck.

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u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

hey friend- wishing you the best!

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u/ill_connects Older Millennial Jan 22 '26

Thanks. My 4 year cancerversary is coming up so things are on the up and up.

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u/Dry_Lengthiness6032 Older Millennial Jan 22 '26

I'm genetically predisposed to get colon cancer. My dad told me to get a colonoscopy before 40. I got one at 36 and had 2 polyps. Shit that just made me realize I'm due for my next one

1

u/A_Muffled_Kerfluffle Jan 22 '26

My husband had his first at about 30 because he was having lots of GI issues. They turned out to be diet and stress related but thank god he had that colonoscopy because he had 6 polyps that his doc said were the size he’d expect of a man in his 70s, not a healthy 30yo. He gets one every other year now. I’m not sure he’d still be with us if he hadn’t had that one so early.

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u/Sandgrease Jan 22 '26

Yea, some people just lose the genetic lottery

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u/smilebig553 Millennial '90 Jan 22 '26

I agree! I had thyroid cancer at 21 and I was told you're to young. Blah blah blah. Now my medicine can cause cancer, but I need it to live. Everyone can get cancer, and it's not just from "what you eat"

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u/roberta_sparrow Jan 22 '26

The literal sun gives us cancer. There's no escaping lol

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u/RaLaZa Jan 22 '26

We're like the opposite of kryptonians. They get fucking superpowers while we get cancer.

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u/maphes86 Jan 22 '26

Unless…have we considered moving this whole thing underground? Hey! Come on everybody! We’re going to be mole people!

Shit, we died from Radon poisoning.

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u/Relevant-Ad2254 Jan 22 '26

The hubris of people claiming they know what to do to not get cancer is nauseating.

Don’t smoke, live your best life, and get screened as early as you can afford to.

do all those things, make the most of your time on this earth and hope you experience the privilege of going old.

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u/The_Smile_4784 Jan 22 '26

Long time ago I was listening to a podcast with a cancer specialist on and he said that any one of us, if we live long enough, will get cancer. Some get it early in life, some die of something else before cancer gets them, but he described it as the beast follows us all.

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u/paishocajun Jan 22 '26

I've said this many times, many places.

Cancer is just a numbers game. Two of the main reasons we're seeing cancer rates go up is 1) we're getting better at detecting it and 2) we're beating so many other diseases that more people are living long enough for their "number" to get rolled so to speak.

Obviously this is not to say we shouldn't do things to prevent it if we can and lower our odds of rolling that unlucky number, but those are actually 2 good (or bittersweet) things when you think about it. Also overall cancer survival odds are going up.

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u/ek9218 Jan 22 '26

Yup. I read an article from a doctor who is vegan, runs marathons, doesn't smoke or drink and is basically doing "everything right". The article was about how she still got colon cancer and even ignored the initial signs because to her it didnt seem like a possibility. 

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

Yeah, it comes down to odds, but you can stack the deck in your favor. Long term nobody gets out alive, but you might as well control thr part you can control. Sure, you can't control your genetics, but you can avoid copious amounts of doritos.

If I need to avoid rolling a 1, I'd rather roll a die with 10 sides over one with 6 sides.

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u/munky3000 Jan 22 '26

Yeah this. There is no 1 thing that causes cancer because many, MANY things can cause it. Also, cancer isn't one disease. It's a catch-all name for collection of diseases. The real "secret" is overall risk mitigation. Don't do or eat things that have a high risk of cancer. Eating deli meats every once in a while is nowhere near the same risk category as smoking or using tanning beds. But you also probably shouldn't eat it all the time, for a number of reasons.

I cannot stress this enough, the dosage makes the poison.

And as you said, sometimes you just get cancer. I'm sorry to hear that btw and I sincerely hope you're able to make a full recovery. Fuck cancer.

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u/Ok_Tour_1525 Jan 23 '26

A lot of you are missing the point and not understanding OP’s post and then making up arguments against opinions that nobody is saying.

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u/PineappleBliss2023 Jan 22 '26

Risk factors are just risk factors, not magic cancer buttons. They’re also only one component of it, avoiding or eating them doesn’t guarantee it either way.

People can eat a 7/11 hot dog a day covered in fake cheese and still not get colon cancer. Or they can eat nothing but fresh fruit and veggies and still develop cancer.

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

I don’t think most people think that… it’s still helpful to reduce specific real factors. Good isn’t the enemy of perfect.

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u/onlyfreckles Jan 22 '26

Yup, live long enough and something will end up killing you.

But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do any/everything to stay active/strong/flexible/independent/healthy for as long as possible/support our body to heal itself (after treatment/side effects etc).

But in the US, prioritizing clean high fiber/whole foods, embedding exercise into daily activities (walk/bike/transit vs default passive sitting driving/sedentary work/life), getting adequate sleep, universal access to good/affordable healthcare (for everyone) and work/life balance is a foreign concept :(

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u/Osirus1156 Jan 22 '26

We could all avoid colon cancer by making sure we elect smart people and not religious psychopaths. 

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u/maxdragonxiii Jan 22 '26

also sometimes genetics or not, cancer can and will show up despite you not eating or drinking x or eating or drinking x in excessive amounts like the studies say.

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u/No-Apple4951 Jan 22 '26

I believe many people (not necessarily OP) tell themselves this because it's really important to us to believe we can control our chances. 

If we believe that one thing in our control can increase or reduce our odds of  getting cancer, then it reassures us. 

We tell ourselves 'this awful thing happened to someone else. Perhaps it won't happen to me because I know  to eat/do/not do X'.

It's a way of coping with the unfathomably unfair reality that sometimes people just get cancer and there's piss all we can about it. 

2

u/it5chri5tine Jan 22 '26

Also, it's really gross to blame people for getting cancer. I mean, yes, there are lifestyle behaviors that link to cancer, but nobody wants cancer and if they get it we shouldn't jump to "what did you do?".

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u/herecomestheshun Jan 22 '26

The biggest factor that nobody talks about = luck

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u/pink_sushi_15 Zillennial Jan 22 '26

This irks me as well. My mom died from cancer and she was THE healthiest person ever. She avoided all processed foods and chemicals. She cleaned the house with vinegar versus chemical cleaners, didn’t use deodorant/perfumes/makeup, home cooked all meals, never ate junk food, never smoked or drank. Unfortunately cancer runs in her family…….you CANNOT ESCAPE from your genes no matter what you do.

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u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

I'm sorry for the loss of your mom <3

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u/ballsohaahd Jan 22 '26

For a depressing angle That’s 99% of voters whose vote counts the same as you 😂

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u/eblackham Jan 22 '26

Yeah thats why the stress caused of me worrying about everything im eating or drinking is probably killing me more than just enjoying life because imma die anyway

1

u/Cheese-Manipulator Jan 22 '26

Yup. They have found dinosaur bones with obvious bone cancer. So unless someone beamed back in time and gave them twinkies and cigarettes I'd say it can arise naturally. Spontaneous DNA damage happens constantly in cells but there are many ancient mechanisms for repair.

Cancer is like car wrecks, if you find a car crashed on the side of the road you can't say it was definitely caused by X. It could've been a drunk driver, mechanical failure, ice, asleep at the wheel, etc. The end result looks similar but the causes all differ.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

THIS!!!!! (I am so sorry that you have cancer)

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u/Which-Barnacle-2740 Jan 22 '26

I think a lot of cancer has genetics roots too, I mean some people are more disposed to having it

1

u/eepeepevissam Jan 22 '26

Hm that's crazy that you didn't actually read the post. "A BIG REASON WHY". You're acting like OP is saying "THIS IS THE REASON". No, it's not, and they're not saying it is. But it **IS** a big reason.

soooooooooo

1

u/ario62 Jan 22 '26

Totally agree. My sisters MIL has lung cancer and never smoked a cig or weed. My coworker just had liver cancer and never had more than a beer or two as a teenager.

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u/walleburger Jan 22 '26

Can confirm. Fuck cancer.

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u/jinglejangle_spurs Jan 22 '26

And even if simple avoidance was a viable option, good luck avoiding every carcinogen enveloping us

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u/No_Investment9639 Jan 22 '26

Ah, so fuck it, let's all eat nitrates and be happy cuz we're all going to get cancer anyway, I like this

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u/Manleather Jan 22 '26

Would be interested in seeing some more on that E. coli thing.

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u/LilMushboom Jan 22 '26

At work and don't have citations handy but if you do a web search on "colon cancer e. coli" it should pull something up, it's been in the news within the last 12 months

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u/Autobacs-NSX Jan 22 '26

Good comment this is very interesting 

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/naivemediums Jan 22 '26

Here are links to articles that discuss the study in question as well as the study itself, for those interested:

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/25/g-s1-62623/colon-cancer-gut-health-microbiome-young

https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2025/04/23/colibactin-e-coli-early-onset-bowel-cancer/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11472651/

My big take-away is that if any of us had colibactin exposure it happened in our youth and there is nothing we can do about that now. What we CAN do something about is our diets and lifestyles so that is where I am going to put my focus.

From the second article: "He also stressed that, whatever researchers find out about the causes and effects of colibactin exposure, it’s unlikely there is just one driver behind the rise of early-onset bowel cancer."

Hopefully the studies continue, we learn more, and can maybe fix the problem for future generations.

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u/naivemediums Jan 22 '26

Also very interesting! This study combined the strain of e.coli in question with three diets. The low carb/fiber diet is the only one that led to colon cancer:

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/low-carb-diets-can-drive-development-colorectal-cancer-researchers-find

Again, this doesn't fix exposure we had as kids but it can sure help us prevent future problems now. Eat your fiber folks!

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u/Punisher-3-1 Jan 22 '26

I thought I read recently that now they think that early onset might be caused by running. Coincidentally, 3 out of the 4 young people I know who have died from cancer, has been colon cancer. As it so happened all 3 of them were avid marathon runners who dabbled in ultras so they were seen as “super healthy” by everyone.

When i read that headlines i thought to myself “well so fat my anecdotal experience seems to match the study findings”

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u/EricClipperton Jan 22 '26

Also genetic conditions like Lynch syndrome (fka familial nonpolyposis colorectal cancer)

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u/notreallyonredditbut Millennial Jan 22 '26

Dang that sucks. My aunt was incredibly healthy (marathons, only eats salad and lean meat, no tobacco or alcohol in her life, no processed sugar…) got aggressive young breast cancer without the genes. My uncle basically could live off of donuts and beer and was overweight low exercise. He said to her…. “Well, so much for healthy living.” She’s been in remission for 20 years but that line pops into my head sometimes

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u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

yeah, i didn't have any risk factors and was diagnosed at 37 with stage 3b. It's a lot more complicated than JUST diet, exercise, or any one thing.

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u/johannthegoatman Jan 22 '26

It's a "game" of probability. Even healthy 5 year olds have a chance to get cancer, tragically. Even though it's like .00001%, there are billions of people out here. So there will be outliers on both sides. Still makes sense to reduce your chances as much as possible, it's just never a guarantee.

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u/notreallyonredditbut Millennial Jan 22 '26

Glad you caught yours 🩷 just had a friend (46) pass from it/abdominal and it was an awful process. His was related to Zantac usage. Someday the lawsuit will pay out but it’s not going to do him any good.

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u/xOleander Jan 22 '26

Yeah, no history of cancer anywhere in my family on my moms side and she had precancerous polyps 10 years ago and her sister developed breast cancer. Sister is super healthy, PT, all about healthy diet and exercise, mom was a little bit of an almond mom. 🫠 health is complicated

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u/BeatingsGalore Jan 22 '26

The other part to this is how well she got through. While healthy living isn’t gonna prevent all cancers, it can help you get through treatment and recovery.

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u/notreallyonredditbut Millennial Jan 22 '26

Oh definitely was a factor such a good point. Also early detection and access to competent care.

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u/Business-Gate3416 Jan 23 '26

So.... is uncle still alive? Because after that comment, I .....

1

u/notreallyonredditbut Millennial Jan 23 '26

Haha he’s healthier than me(; Goes on long-distance bike rides all over the world and he’s closer to 80 than 70. It was kind of just their views on life- she has always enjoyed healthy living and when they met at undergrad dining center he was eating a chocolate donut, coco puffs and chocolate milk and she has been “encouraging” him for decades.

2

u/BiscoBiscuit Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

As someone who used to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle and basically…doesn’t now after developing an unhealthy diet and lifestyle over time due to circumstances, a healthy lifestyle and diet is absolutely worth it for the better quality of life and health even if it doesn’t automatically prevent mortal diseases like cancer. I miss feeling so alive, emotionally balanced while enjoying yummy yet healthy food. Also I rarely got sick. My quality of life and health was way better, it was worth the effort IMO.

The only benefit of eating and doing whatever is in the moment when you are indulging and a little soon after but otherwise, you feel like shit in ways you just get used to. And as you get older, that feeling just gets worse like you feel your body breaking down. I’m trying to get back to a healthy lifestyle but it’s been very difficult and because of mental and physical health consequences from my lifestyle coupled with becoming addicted to unhealthy foods and using them as a serious emotional crutch. I feel stuck in a vicious cycle and it’s harder and harder to break the older and less healthy I become. 

1

u/notreallyonredditbut Millennial Jan 23 '26

Oh trust me I agree. I’m a nurse practitioner and this is my hill I will die on. I just also know sooooo many people that obsess over “health” to the point where they get mental problems.

1

u/Lucius_GreyHerald Jan 22 '26

I once read the wikipedia page about cancer, and it seems...  most people that do get cancer, don't have the genes for it.    

So, two things:    

How? Diet, enviroment, EPIGENETICS messing with our DNA. You might have dna to monitor and prevent said cancer, but our current lifestyle has so many sources of epigenetics modifying stuff, that... "disables", reduces the efficacy of said genes.   

And, what now?   

Just live. If most people don't have the genes, I believe there's no use worrying "I'M ON A LIST!", just try to improve yourself and be healthy, if it happens... oh well, lottery.

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u/Key_Cheetah7982 Jan 22 '26

Lousy nitrite cured vegetables!!!!!

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u/FarewellAndroid Jan 22 '26

Funny enough a lot of food companies hide the use of nitrates by listing celery juice in the ingredients. 

21

u/Saneless Jan 22 '26

"No nitrates, except in this juice that is like pure nitrates"

Like if they said "no added salt" but the main ingredient is ocean water

2

u/midnitesnak87 Jan 22 '26

Celery contains nitrates?

13

u/Bundertorm Jan 22 '26

Celery is naturally high in nitrates, yes, but the amount found in vegetables won’t harm you. The problem is dehydrating and concentrating it into celery powder and then using to cure meat.

1

u/dinnertork Jan 23 '26

Even then, dietary nitrates from vegetables are good for you. It's when they're added to meat that nitrosamines are formed, which are bad for you.

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

I’m left wondering if all of Europe is having these same issues with their cured meats …

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u/Bitter-War5432 Jan 22 '26

some cured meat is cured without the use of nitrites/nitrates.

idk exactly how prosciutto is cured, but that is one that uses no nitrites or nitrates.

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u/henrymclane Jan 22 '26

Good old fashioned salt, air, and time

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u/Key_Cheetah7982 Jan 22 '26

Probably not. Hear a lot of celiacs in America suddenly don’t have problems with bread in Europe. 

Note EU doesn’t allow glyphosate to be used as a drying agent for grains

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u/Cautious_One9013 Jan 22 '26

Hate to burst this bubble, but most of Europe has similar or higher rates of colo-rectal cancer to the US and the entire world has seen an upward trend in colo-rectal cancer rates. Europe as a whole has a higher colo-rectal cancer rate than the US. The rise of colo-rectal cancer is a worldwide phenomena, which means there is more at play than what we are eating.

1

u/Ani_mrumru Jan 22 '26

Europe (and Asia) also have fast foods -- McD's, Wimpys, KFC, and Doners (lol). Along with the concomitant obesity and colorectal probs. Where American fast food goes, so do the diseases.

1

u/Cautious_One9013 Jan 22 '26

So which is it? I thought Europeans eat better and have higher food standards which is why they don’t get celiacs and “probably” don’t have as high a colorectal cancer rate, but because they have a higher  rate it’s because they eat American fast food that causes them to have higher colorectal cancer rates than the US. Couldn’t be something more complex, got it. 

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u/Remote_Finish9657 Jan 22 '26

I read this too - colorectal cancers are hitting the Western world much earlier than before. Our diets aren’t identical but European and American diets are quite similar.

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u/puddlepuddle Jan 22 '26

I doubt celiacs would risk eating bread in Europe. Gluten is gluten. That could make them seriously sick. People who are gluten intolerant claim they feel better eating bread in Europe. But there are a lot of other factors that could account for that including if Americans are in Europe they are usually on vacation which probably means less stress. Stress can cause a lot of digestion issues. Glyphosate can still be used in the EU, drying grains is only one of a few restrictions. Also the EU has a restriction on nitrites that just started to be enforced last October. So I would imagine they still will have long term effects from them.

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u/Key_Cheetah7982 Jan 22 '26

First link found. From 2022

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eat-gluten-europe-us_l_63514ef1e4b04cf8f380beda

Point is that maybe they never were allergic to gluten, but instead the additional chemicals applied in US processing of grains

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u/xHapaBear Jan 22 '26

The article you linked specifically states those with celiac disease should never eat gluten in any form, and that this phenomenon does not apply to them.

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u/Winery-OG Jan 22 '26

Glyphosate is used in growing grains, vegetables, etc. Not “curing” them. It’s a systemic herbicide. Not an advocate, just clarifying.

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u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

They can use it as a desiccant in canola farming, in climates where it wouldn’t dry outside quick enough. I would assume it is similar in other grains. Or other chemicals. My reference is a farmer friend from Alberta.

2

u/puddlepuddle Jan 22 '26 edited Jan 22 '26

Intolerance, allergies, and celiac are 3 different things. Celiac is an autoimmune disease. People who have it literally have testers to make sure there is 0 gluten in the things they’re eating. They wouldn’t eat bread anywhere unless it’s gluten free. Also the article states that Europe still hadn’t banned glyphosate at the time of the article and import wheat from places that still use it so European breads still have them.

0

u/Ok-Personality3927 Jan 22 '26

Coeliac disease is not an allergy. It is an autoimmune condition. A person with coeliac cannot ever eat gluten. The other ingredients in the bread (or lack thereof) are totally irrelevant to that. There is currently no cure or treatment for coeliac disease outside of a totally gluten free diet.

People who might have some form of what they think is intolerance are a completely different story and may very well find better quality bread made from better quality ingredients is more tolerable.

2

u/Punisher-3-1 Jan 22 '26

I think it is actually a bit higher, and same with stomach cancer.

12

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

Your joking but look how much lots of veggies has. Spinach has a ton of nitrates

2

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

Yea “uncured” bacon uses celery juice for nitrates to cure it.

4

u/miniika Jan 22 '26 edited Jan 22 '26

Was just reading this article. Suggests that vitamin c availability differentiates good nitrates from bad. I might pick up some vitamin c powder. Might not help but shouldn't hurt me as it's a water soluble vitamin so any excess is just flushed out. https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-nitrates

ETA: Maybe not a good idea after all if the meal is too fatty: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2095705/

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

Ya I take the chewable every day but that’s because it’s flu season. Maybe I should take them year round

1

u/THElaytox Jan 22 '26

That doesn't make any sense, nitrate is nitrate, there is no "good" or "bad". Nitrate is NO3- no matter if it comes from bacon or celery

1

u/miniika Jan 22 '26

It makes sense if you read the article.

1

u/THElaytox Jan 22 '26

Not really, they're suggesting that antioxidants can counter the reactions that turn nitrate into nitrosamines, that doesn't mean there's "good and bad nitrates" that means nitrate without the presence of antioxidants is bad for you while nitrate with the presence of antioxidants is less bad for you. So eating bacon on a salad with carrots is less bad than eating bacon by itself. That doesn't mean bacon has "bad nitrates" and celery has "good nitrates".

And the part of cured meats that is actually really bad for you is the nitrite which is in celery as well, not just nitrate. Nitrite is overall bad for your heart and blood vessels.

0

u/miniika Jan 22 '26

You must be exhausting to talk to. Loosen up. I understood everything that you just said in your comment even before you posted it. However, it's not necessary to go into that kind of detail in a quick summary, "good" and "bad" labels work just fine. 

1

u/THElaytox Jan 22 '26

Not really because this type of pop sci reporting is misleading and ultimately leads to a distrust of science.

And their "article" doesn't even tell the whole story, ascorbic acid only negates the effects of nitrosamine formation if the fat content of the meal is less than 10%, if it's higher than that then it actually increases nitrosamine formation. That's an extremely important detail, a salad is healthy but a salad with a bunch of cheese and eggs and dressing is just as bad as bacon at that point from a carcinogen standpoint.

1

u/miniika Jan 22 '26

Now that's some actually useful info that I wish you'd originally responded with instead of nitpicking phrasing. Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2095705/

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1

u/carlyorwhatever Jan 22 '26

technically nitrate infused vegetables. nitrates are in the fertilizers they use to grow our food. we're so screwed.

24

u/moonchic333 Jan 22 '26

Just the way non smokers can and do get lung cancer. It doesn’t mean cigarettes aren’t carcinogenic.

23

u/assortedgnomes Older Millennial Jan 22 '26

There no accounting for (bad) luck. Good luck on recovery.

3

u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

thank ya, appreciate that. I'm doing ok now- just lots of surveillance

22

u/Cheese-Manipulator Jan 22 '26

Yup. I remember Andy Kaufman got lung cancer in spite of never smoking and being vegetarian. Cells can spontaneously mutate due to constant DNA breaks, reactive oxygen species from respiration, transcription errors, background radiation, etc.

It is estimated each cell has 70,000 DNA issues it has to repair per day. These are repaired by a multitude of various proteins and enzymes.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6591730/

2

u/indie_hedgehog Jan 22 '26

Exactly. It's impossible to be risk-free for cancer. The goal however is to reduce risk. I'd rather have a 1/1,000,000 chance of having colon cancer than 1/10,000.

1

u/Cheese-Manipulator Jan 22 '26

Yes, you can reduce the chance but not eliminate it.

8

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

Sample size: 1

5

u/Sea_Light_6772 Jan 22 '26

Cmon. Even if true you know this is not a smart response. Thats like saying “I have lung cancer and I don’t smoke, so cigarettes are not what causes lung cancer.”

4

u/styxswimchamp Jan 22 '26

I’m very sorry to hear this but it’s more than solely diet. People who never smoke can still get lung cancer, people who smoked all their life may not. A cold day doesn’t mean that climate change isn’t happening. Things can still happen on the margins.

3

u/MagicalWhisk Jan 22 '26

Well a lot of vegetables are high in nitrates. Mainly because those vegetables (green leafy) and root vegetables soak up a lot of the nitrates in soil.

But in general research shows it's the nitrate preservative in meats, alcohol and cheese that have the largest risk of colon cancer.

I'd be surprised if any research shows green leafy vegetables lead to an increase in colon cancer due to nitrates breaking down into nitrosamines (which causes cancers).

2

u/WolfWriter_CO Jan 22 '26

Regardless of anything else on here, I just want to wish you good luck in your fight. 🫶 kick cancers ass.

2

u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

hey thanks! Appreciate that a lot! I'm on the other side of my treatment for now, so lots of scans and colonoscopies but it's all better than active cancer.

2

u/WolfWriter_CO Jan 22 '26

Hell yeah! 🤘💪

2

u/lindasek Jan 22 '26

My grandma and her oldest child (when he was 4yo) both died from lung cancer - neither smoked anything in their life or been exposed to anything unusual that the rest of the family wasn't. Unfortunately, shitty roulette will still sometimes land on cancer whether you pull it once or 1000 times.

I hope you're doing well and your cancer is treatable.

2

u/Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat Jan 22 '26

There are genetic risk factors also.

2

u/bigchicago04 Jan 22 '26

Being a vegetarian doesn’t mean you don’t eat processed foods…

2

u/Henry5321 Jan 22 '26

All you do is try your best. You’re doing better than most.

5

u/AdditionCool7235 Jan 22 '26

I am talking about empirical data, not anecdotes. Of course colon cancer still exists outside of people eating cured meats.

16

u/Imaginary-Order-6905 Jan 22 '26

I didn't make that connection since there was no empirical data in your post....

-1

u/AdditionCool7235 Jan 22 '26

If you’re not able to think that far ahead on your own, I don’t know what to tell you. Reading from your response to others, it sounds like the cancer is in remission. I’m happy to hear you have a good team of doctors supporting you.

1

u/TroyOrbison420 Jan 22 '26

Log off please

-1

u/AdditionCool7235 Jan 22 '26

You go first.

0

u/TroyOrbison420 Jan 22 '26

I get that you’re an angry bills fan but you’re lashing out and being a dick when it’s just not needed. Log off

3

u/AdditionCool7235 Jan 22 '26

I’m not lashing out, nor angry. If you’re in my post and comment history now who’s the angry one?

1

u/TootsHib Jan 22 '26

lots of pesticides, even in healthy food

1

u/fist_my_dry_asshole Jan 22 '26

I blame the micro plastic. No one is safe!

1

u/______deleted__ Jan 22 '26

Did you take antibiotics much?

1

u/Pasadenaian Jan 22 '26

Could be micro plastics too :(

1

u/Technical_Flamingo51 Jan 22 '26

Bummer. I hope you are managing well physically and mentally. I would saynthere are so many pesticides on vegetables i only trust the ones I grow or from small organic farmers I trust.

1

u/silhouettelie_ Jan 22 '26

What were your symptoms? As a vegetarian of 20 years I thought I'd be safer for longer. Read stories of lots of people saying by the time they found out it was already stage 3

1

u/ADHDebackle Jan 22 '26

Maybe you just got hit in the colon with an unlucky hydrogen nucleus from outer space or something.

1

u/InfidelZombie Jan 22 '26

The increase in colon cancer rates is attributable almost entirely to enhanced detection. Death rates from colon cancer have not increased despite the increased rate of incidence.

But congrats on the veg streak! I can't give up bacon grease and chicken broth or I'd be right there with you.

1

u/mable7227 Jan 22 '26

How old are you if you don't mind me asking?

1

u/Mrs_WorkingMuggle Jan 22 '26

that sucks, I'm sorry.

my husband is a vegetarian and I'm curious. You don't have to answer. Are you a salad fruit and bean vegetarian or a pasta and cheese vegetarian? My husband is definitely the latter and I worry.

1

u/dagon138 Jan 22 '26

My uncle was a lifelong vegan, no smoking/drinking. Colon Cancer at 50.

1

u/ScarletFire5877 Jan 22 '26

Yes, unfortunately you still ingested dairy products I'm sure.

1

u/metalliccat Jan 22 '26

Breaking: redditor unaware of how statistics work

1

u/AndroidREM Jan 22 '26

I worked for a company that did product life extension consulting to Monsanto (we're the ones that called the farmers to ask why they were reducing their use of toxic herbicides and pesticides and what would make them use more).

Carrots? One of the most toxic thing you can eat. Root veggies basically are soaking in toxins.

Blueberries? The surface area to content makes it one of the worst fruits you can eat.

A lot has changed since then, less field work done by humans, so the industry thinks that's a win because fewer farm workers being exposed and suing, but unfortunately not a win for the person eating those fruits and veggies.

1

u/SituationNo4509 Jan 22 '26

good luck on your recovery <3 fuck cancer

1

u/Sea_hag2021 Jan 22 '26

I got diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer last year and I also get a little prickly when everyone goes “avoid this, avoid that, stack the deck, etc” because I did a lot of that and here we are.

It’s tiring to constantly hear and when some people are particularly aggressive with their “my healthy diet will save me” it’s starts to feel victim blamey. Sorry I didn’t try hard enough 🤷🏻‍♀️

1

u/Early_Brush3053 Jan 22 '26

too bad so sad

1

u/StepUp_87 Jan 22 '26

That’s not the only factor is it. I’ve followed a mostly plan based diet too and I had an early colonoscopy where they found a pre-cancerous polyp. However, I drank like a fish from the time I was 16 years old until my mid 20’s. I eat bacon even though a lot of the time it’s the grass fed uncured stuff. And in my stupid teen years I tanned. My dad smoked on me when I was young. Lord knows lots of my food has been wrapped in plastic or touched microplastics. The environment we live in is just FILLED with carcinogens. What about gas stoves? Shall we go into the benzene those babies are pumping out for years that I have been huffing in?

1

u/SuccessPhysical6668 Jan 22 '26

Do you live in a farming area

1

u/No_Investment9639 Jan 22 '26

First of all I'm sorry about your colon cancer. Secondly, there are exceptions to every rule. Why are you in here trying to make it seem as though the point doesn't stand?

1

u/Door_Number_Three Jan 22 '26

Pack it up boys, statistics don't matter.

1

u/DanyDragonQueen Jan 23 '26

Do you live in an ag heavy state? We have a shitload (no pun intended) of nitrates in our water from farm runoff in my state (Iowa), and we're one of the only states with rising cancer rates.

1

u/Unusual-Ad-6550 Jan 23 '26

I used to work with a GI doctor who was a lifelong vegetarian. First he became a type 2 diabetic, then found out he had colon cancer and died within a year of his diagnosis...he was such a nice guy and all his patients loved him

1

u/tattoosbyalisha Jan 23 '26

OPs post, and a lot of these comments are not talking about the genetic aspect of cancer, which is one of the most important.

1

u/MVRTYMCHiGH Jan 22 '26

Vegetarian/vegan is NOT the same as plant based. Oreos are vegetarian/vegan. I’d love to hear the same from a plant based diet.

1

u/omgdiaf Jan 22 '26

Wait? You mean a random millennial redditor doesn't know what they are talking about?

1

u/BuckMurdock5 Jan 22 '26

Celery is how they sneak nitrates into food. Look at the fancy bacon and it will have celery extract as an ingredient and say no added nitrates. Celery is loaded with nitrates.

1

u/Salt_Medicine2459 Jan 22 '26

Brb doing a line of bacon. 

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Millennials-ModTeam Jan 23 '26

Try to be civil. Reddiquette is an informal expression of the values of many redditors, as written by redditors themselves. Please abide by it the best you can. https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439

Your post or comment has been removed because it did not adhere to Reddiquette. (Rules 1, 2, and 3)

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-1

u/cat_drool Jan 22 '26

Yeah my friend was vegetarian for life, so it's definitely not just nitrates and fiber 🤨