This Ingredient in Ultra-Processed Food May Be Preventing Your Body From Fighting Cancer

Chances are you've heard the word "ultra-processed food" and not stopped to consider what that means. Thankfully, the definition is pretty straightforward: ultra-processed foods add many ingredients to a whole food, such as artificial preservatives, extra salt, artificial colors, and more.

In your lifetime, you've probably consumed at least one ultra-processed food, especially in Western culture, where they feel inescapable. However, it might be a good time to take stock of your refrigerator because a study suggests that the cooking oils frequently added to ultra-processed foods could be leading to an uptick in colorectal cancer.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about this troubling discovery.

A study published on Dec. 10, 2024, by the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute, reveals that an overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids might hinder the anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting properties of omega-3 fatty acids.

According to Oregon State University, the most common omega-6 fatty acid is called linoleic acid, which is found in seed oils such as peanut, safflower, canola, grapeseed, sunflower, and corn.

According to CNN, seed oils are used to fry fast food and manufacture ultra-processed foods.

A November 2015 study also highlights that the average person has an imbalance of omega-6 acids to omega-3 acids, with levels of linoleic acid in fat tissue increasing by a whopping 136 percent in the past 50 years.

The 2024 study, conducted over 5 years, was supported by a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Health, per Science Daily. The study examined 81 tumor samples from patients at Tampa General Hospital. Researchers determined the tumors had an overabundance of bioactive lipids, or oily molecules produced when the body ingests seed oils.

Bioactive lipids increase inflammation and hinder healing in the body. Researchers also noted an imbalance of pro and anti-inflammatory molecules.

These findings could lead to further research in "resolution medicine," which is focused on restoring balance to one's diet to reverse inflammation and healing, per a 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine. Patients would have to eat or take supplements from unprocessed foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

If you're concerned about your health, there is one big step you can take to be proactive: add more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet!

According to the American Heart Association, fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially herring, salmon, bluefin tuna, mackerel, sardines, and more. The AHA recommends eating at least 3/4 cup of flaked fish at least twice weekly for maximum benefits.

However, if you are a pescatarian or vegan, there are definitely other options for you to choose. For example, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and flaxseed oil, per Harvard Medical School, are excellent alternatives. You can try integrating these foods into your diet by sprinkling them on granola or integrating them into a plant-based chia pudding.