Getty ImagesA large UK study has found further evidence that people with more calcium in their diet – equivalent to a glass of milk a day – can help reduce their risk of bowel cancer.The researchers analysed the diets of more than half a million women over 16 years and found dark leafy greens, bread and non-dairy milks containing calcium also had a protective effect.They also found more evidence that consuming too much alcohol and processed meat has the opposite effect, increasing the risk of the disease.Cancer charities say having a healthy, balanced diet, being a healthy weight and stopping smoking were the best ways to lower your risk of bowel cancer.How big is the effect?A recent review found dairy products “probably” decreased the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer.This study, from Oxford University and Cancer Research UK, suggests that is down to calcium, from dairy or non-dairy foods.an extra 300mg of calcium a day in the diet, or a large glass of milk, lowers your risk by 17%”It highlights the potential protective role of dairy, largely due to calcium, in the development of bowel cancer,” said lead researcher Dr Keren Papier, from Oxford.Breakfast cereal, fruit, wholegrains, carbohydrates, fibre and vitamin C also showed they lowered the risk of the cancer, but only slightly.It is already well-known that eating too much processed meat and red meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer, as does alcohol.This study provides more evidence of that link:drinking an additional large glass of wine a day, or 0.7oz (20g) of alcohol, increases your risk by 15%eating 1oz more red and processed meat a day, such as a slice of ham, increases your risk by 8%Quantifying exactly what those percentages mean is tricky, because everyone’s risk of bowel cancer is different depending on their lifestyle, diet, habits and genetics.What does calcium do? What foods contain it?Calcium is an important mineral for strengthening bones and keeping your teeth healthy, but there is growing evidence it also protects against some cancers.There is lots of calcium in milk, yoghurt and cheese. Dairy products are one of the main sources of it in the UK diet (we love our cereals in the morning).It is also present in other foods like soya and rice drinks, white bread, nuts, seeds and fruits like dried figs, curly kale and canned sardines, and it is also in lactose-free milk.The study says calcium may protect against bowel cancer “because it is able to bind to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, lowering their potentially carcinogenic effects”. Why is bowel cancer so common?There are about 44,000 cases of bowel cancer every year in the UK, making it the fourth most common cancer.Although most …
