My world-leading research on the shocking rise in bowel cancer proves we’re missing a vital nutrient that slashes risk of cancer and heart disease, says PROF TIM SPECTOR. This is so cheap and easy to fix

Despite decades of astonishing medical advances, heart disease and cancer stubbornly remain two of the biggest killers in the UK.

Together, these terrible conditions lead to the deaths of more than 300,000 Britons every year.

Concerningly, some forms are also on the rise in the UK – even among young people.

Last year, a major study found people born in 1990 are now three times more likely to develop certain tumours, including bowel cancer, than those over the age of 70.

I am leading the UK arm of research investigating the concerning rise in cases of bowel cancer in young people and how it’s related to the food we’re eating, together with my team at King’s College London and a group of international colleagues.

The NHS has plenty of advice for patients looking to reduce their risk of heart disease and cancer.

This includes quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol, regularly exercising and avoiding eating too much red meat.

These are all sensible steps backed by science.

However, during my many years studying the gut, and as co-founder of the science and nutrition company ZOE, I’ve become increasingly concerned that the vast majority of the population are unaware that they are failing to consume enough of a vital nutrient that slashes their risk of both deadly diseases.

The good news is it’s something that everyone can – if they know what they are looking for – buy in their weekly shop at no great cost: fibre.

Fibre is a form of carbohydrate – a nutrient that provides the body with energy – found naturally in plants.

Unlike other carbohydrates, like sugar and starch, fibre is not easily digested and absorbed by the body. This means the body can’t break it down into energy, which is where our gut microbes come into their own, because they can break down fibre to make helpful byproducts.

There are many different forms of fibre found in a variety of foods including wholegrain breakfast cereals, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain bread and potatoes with the skin left on.

Yet despite the seeming abundance of foods containing fibre, a worrying number of Britons are dangerously deficient in the nutrient.

Adults should be consuming around 30 grams of fibre a day. How people reach this goal is up to them. But it could be achieved by eating a combination of a few portions of fruit and vegetables, a slice of brown bread, a handful of oats, some nuts and seeds and a cup of lentils.

However, fewer than one in ten Britons hit this daily target. Instead, the average person gets around 20 grams a day.

This is a modern medical problem. The diets of our distant ancestors contained a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and pulses. Not blessed with the luxury of being able to waste food, they will have also often eaten the chewy but fibre-rich stems of fresh produce.

However, today, our supermarkets are filled with artificial, processed foods, which are stripped of these naturally fibrous components.

This is intentional. Fibre does not last as long as other nutrients, like sugar, making it an unsuitable ingredient for products designed to sit on the shelves for months at a time.

And because fibre is hard to digest, it fills people up.

In fact, there is some evidence that fibre even stimulates chemicals in the brain that makes the body feel full.

This is why some people claim that fibre is nature’s answer to Ozempic – the appetite-suppressing injections used by millions.

However, this is exactly the opposite of what big food firms want.

If biscuits were packed with fibre instead of sugar, people would eat less of them, damaging the bottom line of biscuit-makers.

The Government also shares some of the blame. An NHS advertising campaign educating Britons on the importance of fibre and how to get enough of it could make a massive difference.

But, for reasons I cannot understand, this has never happened.

This nationwide fibre crisis is startling because the evidence that a lack of fibre is dangerous is very clear.

In fact, research suggests that for each extra gram of fibre someone eats, they decrease their risk of dying early by 14 per cent. That’s equivalent to a piece of rye toast.

The exact reason why fibre has such a significant impact on our health is still unclear.

However, most of the evidence suggests that it is something to do with our gut microbiome – the billions of bacteria that live in our gut.

These microbes affect our digestion, but also have far-reaching effects around the body.

One of these is reducing inflammation. Inflammation refers to when the immune system reacts to a perceived threat, such as an infection.

Usually, inflammation is crucial for protecting the body. However, in some cases, this inflammation can continue after the threat has gone or occur for no good reason.

Heightened and chronic levels of inflammation are linked to heart disease and cancer. Obesity, a lack of exercise, chronic stress and a poor diet are all known to raise levels of inflammation in the body.

Research shows that gut microbes can bring down inflammation in the body by producing what are known as short-chain fatty acids.

And, crucially, these short-chain fatty acids are created when bacteria in the gut breaks down fibre. That’s why it’s no exaggeration to say that getting enough fibre could save your life.

However, there are also many short-term benefits of eating the recommended daily amount of fibre.

Studies show that people who eat an adequate amount are less likely to experience heartburn, digestion issues, mental health problems and infections such as colds and flus.

There is also growing evidence that getting a wide variety of types of fibre is also important for boosting gut health.

This is because microbes are picky. There are certain bacteria in the gut which will eat a specific type of fibre but not another.

So if you want the gut to produce more short-chain fatty acids you need to give it a range of fibre.

That’s why, at ZOE, we have created the Daily30+ – a wholefood supplement which contains 30 different types of plants, 35 kinds of fibre and hundreds of powerful bioactive plant chemicals. It features a scientific mix of spices, mushrooms, seaweed, nuts and seeds. We designed it to provide forms of fibre that most people don’t get in their daily diet, in a really easy way

It’s not a meal replacement or a green shake. Instead, think of it as something you can add to your everyday meals, whether that’s on your avocado or eggs on toast, mixed into your salad at lunch or on top of roasted vegetables, a stir fry or fish for dinner.

Before we released the product, we ran a clinical trial which found that the majority of those given the Daily30+ experienced a boost in their energy levels and even a reduction in hunger. That’s likely down to its fibre content from a variety of plants.

We think it’s something that everyone will feel better for taking.

However, it is by no means the only way to get your daily recommended fibre intake.

Just by eating a few more pieces of fruit and vegetables, switching to brown toast and adding some nuts and pulses to your daily diet, you will be taking steps towards a healthier body and a longer life. Fibre isn’t just fuel – it could even be the difference between living well and dying early.