A recent study has added another amazing health benefit to the extensive list long attributed to yogurt consumption. 

The study found two or more servings of yogurt a week had a nearly 30% lower risk of developing precancerous colon growths. Unfortunately, this unique property was found to apply only to men, as there was no detection of the same cancer-fighting effects in women. 

Adding more yogurt to your diet, may help prevent colon cancer.

Although researchers were careful to point out that yogurt can not and should not be believed to prevent colon cancer, the connection was distinctly present. 

Researchers posited this was largely due to the two bacteria present in yogurt – Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Additionally, yogurt may also reduce acid in the gut, creating an environment in which these bacteria are more likely to thrive.

For the study, researchers collected data on nearly 33,000 men and nearly 56,000 women, all of whom had undergone an endoscopy between the years 1986-2012. In four year intervals they were also required to report to researchers general information about their diets and specifically how much yogurt they consumed. 

Nearly 6,000 of the men developed colon polyps, as did a little over 8,000 women. These growths, also known as adenomas, usually indicate eventual onset of cancer. The men, however, who consumed yogurt twice or more a week had a nearly 30% lower risk of developing pre-cancerous adenomas. Risk for non-cancerous adenomas was nearly 20% lower. 

Researchers urged men with family histories of colon cancer to up their yogurt consumption, while ideally limiting red meat. For more on how to keep your digestion flow healthy, why not check out my page?