Omega-3 food can help fight bowel cancer

Consuming salmon, walnuts and chia seeds can boost the chances of surviving bowel cancer by preventing the spread of deadly tumours across the body. When these omega-3 fatty acids are broken down after eating, they release cancer-fighting molecules that directly attack the cancerous cells.

Aberdeen University in Scotland claims to be the first to suggest a link between such foods and bowel cancer survival. They measured the amount of enzymes made when omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids – found in chicken, eggs and nuts – were crunched down in 650 bowel cancer patients. This was then compared to their survival chances. The results showed that those who had the highest levels of the cancer-fighting enzymes had the greatest chances of beating the disease. Their tumours were found to have spread less, indicating a greater chance of survival. It is believed that bowel cancer is the fourth most common form of the disease. The research appeared in the British Journal of Cancer.