Your stomach cancer risk goes up with one “refreshing” choice

(NaturalHealth365)  About two out of three adults in the U.S. drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage every day.  Whether the drink is a soda with lunch, a lemonade at a backyard party, or a “refreshing” sports drink after exercise, the habit rarely gets a second thought.

Yet fresh findings from two of the country’s longest-running health studies tie that single daily drink to a far higher risk of a cancer than most people would consider significant.

Just one drink separates high risk from low

Researchers at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute analyzed 112,284 adults from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.  Both studies tracked diet, lifestyle, and health for decades, and 278 participants developed stomach cancer along the way.  After adjusting for other risk factors, the team compared the heaviest and lightest sugary drink consumers.

The difference was significant.  People who drank at least one serving a day had 2.45 times the risk of stomach cancer compared with people who drank less than one serving a month.

Among women who drank more than one sugary beverage daily, the risk climbed to roughly three times higher.

Sugary drinks already carry a long rap sheet

Earlier research has linked sugar-sweetened beverages to colorectal, breast, and liver cancers.  Until now, however, almost nothing connected these drinks to stomach cancer in a population.  According to the researchers, this study is the first to show that link here.

Stomach cancer ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, so the new link carries real weight.  Additionally, higher total fructose intake tracked with more stomach cancer, too.

Since fructose is the main sweetener in most of these drinks, the pattern points straight at the sugar.

The usual stomach cancer suspect was not behind the link

Infection with H. pylori, a common stomach bacterium, is a well-known driver of stomach cancer.  Naturally, the researchers wondered whether sugary drinks simply went hand in hand with infection.  In a subset of 940 participants with infection data, slightly more than a third showed signs of H. pylori.

Interestingly, sugary drink habits did not track with infection at all.  In other words, the higher cancer risk did not appear to run through the bacterium everyone already blames.  Instead, a daily sugar load seems to matter independently.

Healthy-looking bottles count too

Soda was not the only drink on the list.  The study counted carbonated drinks, punch, lemonade, and sports drinks as sugar-sweetened beverages, and many people consider the last two fairly harmless.  Sadly, a bright label and a fitness image don’t change what’s inside the bottle.

Because the study observed people rather than assigning drinks, the findings show a strong link, not proof of cause.  The team also had limited data on family history, and the number of cancer cases was modest, so larger studies will need to confirm the pattern.  Even so, decades of detailed tracking make the signal difficult to ignore.

Better choices start with what goes in your glass

Swap one sugary drink a day for sparkling water with fresh flavor.  Add a squeeze of lemon or lime, a few crushed mint leaves, or sliced cucumber to plain sparkling water.  The fizz scratches the same itch as soda without the sugar load.  Once one swap feels easy, try a second.

Brew a pitcher of herbal iced tea for the week.  Hibiscus, peppermint, and fresh ginger make bright, refreshing teas that need no sweetener.  Research suggests hibiscus tea supports healthy blood pressure, and ginger has a long history of soothing the stomach.  Keep a pitcher in the fridge so the healthy choice is also the easy one.

Feed your stomach lining with protective foods.  Broccoli sprouts are rich in sulforaphane, and human studies suggest broccoli sprouts can help reduce H. pylori activity in the stomach.  Garlic, cabbage, and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut add further support.  Meanwhile, colorful produce rich in vitamin C helps protect stomach cells from damage.

Read labels before you trust a “healthy” drink.  Look for added sugars listed as cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, or fruit juice concentrate.  For workouts, plain water with a pinch of sea salt handles hydration for most people.

Cancer prevention that starts with the next glass you pour

Few people would ever connect a lunchtime lemonade to stomach cancer, which is exactly why prevention has to begin long before a diagnosis.  If you want to learn more, Jonathan Landsman’s Stop Cancer Docu-Class explores natural approaches to lowering cancer risk, including lab tests that can reveal early warning signs years ahead of a typical diagnosis.

Remember, the small daily choices in this study are just the beginning.

Click here to own the Stop Cancer Docu-Class today.

Sources for this article include:

Ghadvances.org
Sciencedaily.com

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