Consuming plant-based diets may help thwart the development of cancerous cells in the rectum.

​This study examined the consumption of plant foods in relation to the incidence of rectal cancer. Researchers tracked the diets and rate of occurrence of rectal cancer among 2,157 men and women recruited from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Northern California. 

Researchers found out that increased intake of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, ad whole grains lowered the risk of developing cancer of the rectum. On the other hand, a surge in the risk of rectal cancer was associated with high dietary ingestion of refined grains in this study. Evidence from this study support the notion that strict adherence to a plant-based diet may confer an individual with significant protection against rectal cancer.