Colorful foods, clearer protection: new research links fruit and vegetable intake with lower GI cancer risk, with actionable lessons for Thai families
A wave of recent studies suggests that eating more fruits and vegetables could substantially reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, including cancers of the stomach, esophagus, liver, pancreas, and intestines. In one high-profile Korean cohort, researchers traced color-coded produce over eight years and found meaningful decreases in GI cancer risk linked to white-fleshed and red-purple fruits and vegetables. The headline grabber is striking: the white-fleshed group appeared to shave up to about a third off GI cancer risk, while red and purple varieties contributed a comparable, though somewhat smaller, reduction. While the numbers come from observational research and should be interpreted with caution, the findings reinforce a long-standing public health message that plant-based dietary patterns can play a meaningful role in cancer prevention.