The Role of Nut and Seed Consumption in Colorectal Cancer: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Given the increased incidence of colorectal cancer worldwide, especially in developed and developing countries, is comes as no surprise that researchers are concentrating on methods to combat this public health issue, through investigating both lifestyle interventions and treatment options. Although treatment options are being constantly discovered and developed, researchers have also begun investigating the influence that nutrition and lifestyle have on CRC. Among the food categories, nuts and seeds boast numerous beneficial effects for cardiovascular health and metabolic balance and they contain a plethora of phytochemicals and antioxidants. The present narrative review aims to offer a broad perspective to date on the known effects of this consumption on colorectal cancer. For this purpose, articles were identified by conducting a search in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, using search phrases such as ″nut intake and colorectal cancer″ and ″seed consumption and colorectal cancer”, narrowing the search pool to those articles published between 2019 and 2022. The search returned eight relevant papers, all of which were validated by a second author. While the existing research is divided between those studies which have found no significant link between nut consumption and colorectal cancer protection and those which have, there is a consensus regarding the necessity for further research on this subject, as well as the possible mechanisms which might be involved in the protective effect observed by some researchers.

A influência da alimentação na prevenção do câncer colorretal: uma revisão bibliográfica.

“…O estilo de vida também influencia na prevenção e no tratamento do CCR. No entanto, o aumento do índice de massa corporal (IMC), alimentação padrão ocidental (consumo maior de alimentos processados e ultra processados) e o aumento da carga glicêmica na dieta foram associados a taxas de recorrência mais altas e aumento da mortalidade nos indivíduos com câncer colorretal, enquanto o exercício físico, uma dieta saudável ou dieta mediterrânea mostraram proteção ao CCR 19 .…”

“…As dietas mediterrâneas são classificadas com o alto teor de fibras derivadas de grãos integrais, proteínas e gorduras insaturadas, principalmente à base de ácidos graxos poliinsaturados derivados de peixes, e diminuição no consumo de alimentos com alto teor de gorduras saturadas. A dieta mediterrânea provou ter atributo benéfico para prevenção do câncer colorretal 19 .…”