Even when fiber and fruit and vegetable intake are kept constant, choosing foods richer in antioxidants may increase stool size, which is associated with lower cancer risk.
Bulking Up on Antioxidants
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The relationship between stool size and decreased cancer risk at first seems pretty straightforward. Fiber is what causes bulky stools; the only place fiber is found is in whole foods. So, isn’t that just saying, more plant foods, less disease? That’s no revelation. But consider this: even plant-derived foods without fiber seem to increase fecal weight. How could that be?
That same group of intrepid Italian researchers that did the inflammation and arterial function studies turned their sights to the “Ability of a high-total antioxidant capacity diet to increase stool weight and bowel antioxidant status in human subjects.” Just like in the previous studies they did, same diets in terms of amount of fiber and amount of fruits and vegetables, but the high-antioxidant group just substituted some of the higher-antioxidant foods, like swapping in berries for bananas. After two weeks on the low-antioxidant diet, their average stool weight dropped down to three ounces a day. That’s almost as bad as New Yorkers!
But after switching to the high antioxidant diet (remember: same amount of fiber), there was more than a doubling of stool size. They suspect it has something to do with healthier diets altering the gut flora, but now we know. In addition to all the other benefits, a diet selected to raise the intake of dietary antioxidants is able to increase stool bulk. And incidentally, the antioxidant content of feces, though I’m not sure why we care.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is transcript contributed by Bruce A. Hamilton.
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- Garsetti M, Pellegrini N, Baggio C, Brighenti F. Antioxidant activity in human faeces. Br J Nutr. 2000 Nov;84(5):705-10.
- Franzini L, Ardigò D, Valtueña S, Pellegrini N, Del Rio D, Bianchi MA, Scazzina F, Piatti PM, Brighenti F, Zavaroni I. Food selection based on high total antioxidant capacity improves endothelial function in a low cardiovascular risk population. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010 Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]
- Bianchi MA, Scazzina F, Del Rio D, Valtueña S, Pellegrini N, Franzini L, Callegari ML, Pellacani C, Buschini A, Zavaroni I, Brighenti F. Ability of a high-total antioxidant capacity diet to increase stool weight and bowel antioxidant status in human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2010 Nov;104(10):1500-7. Epub 2010 Jun 28.
- Cummings JH, Bingham SA, Heaton KW, Eastwood MA. Fecal weight, colon cancer risk, and dietary intake of nonstarch polysaccharides (dietary fiber). Gastroenterology. 1992 Dec;103(6):1783-9.
Image thanks to Gerard Stolk / Flickr
The relationship between stool size and decreased cancer risk at first seems pretty straightforward. Fiber is what causes bulky stools; the only place fiber is found is in whole foods. So, isn’t that just saying, more plant foods, less disease? That’s no revelation. But consider this: even plant-derived foods without fiber seem to increase fecal weight. How could that be?
That same group of intrepid Italian researchers that did the inflammation and arterial function studies turned their sights to the “Ability of a high-total antioxidant capacity diet to increase stool weight and bowel antioxidant status in human subjects.” Just like in the previous studies they did, same diets in terms of amount of fiber and amount of fruits and vegetables, but the high-antioxidant group just substituted some of the higher-antioxidant foods, like swapping in berries for bananas. After two weeks on the low-antioxidant diet, their average stool weight dropped down to three ounces a day. That’s almost as bad as New Yorkers!
But after switching to the high antioxidant diet (remember: same amount of fiber), there was more than a doubling of stool size. They suspect it has something to do with healthier diets altering the gut flora, but now we know. In addition to all the other benefits, a diet selected to raise the intake of dietary antioxidants is able to increase stool bulk. And incidentally, the antioxidant content of feces, though I’m not sure why we care.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is transcript contributed by Bruce A. Hamilton.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Garsetti M, Pellegrini N, Baggio C, Brighenti F. Antioxidant activity in human faeces. Br J Nutr. 2000 Nov;84(5):705-10.
- Franzini L, Ardigò D, Valtueña S, Pellegrini N, Del Rio D, Bianchi MA, Scazzina F, Piatti PM, Brighenti F, Zavaroni I. Food selection based on high total antioxidant capacity improves endothelial function in a low cardiovascular risk population. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010 Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]
- Bianchi MA, Scazzina F, Del Rio D, Valtueña S, Pellegrini N, Franzini L, Callegari ML, Pellacani C, Buschini A, Zavaroni I, Brighenti F. Ability of a high-total antioxidant capacity diet to increase stool weight and bowel antioxidant status in human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2010 Nov;104(10):1500-7. Epub 2010 Jun 28.
- Cummings JH, Bingham SA, Heaton KW, Eastwood MA. Fecal weight, colon cancer risk, and dietary intake of nonstarch polysaccharides (dietary fiber). Gastroenterology. 1992 Dec;103(6):1783-9.
Image thanks to Gerard Stolk / Flickr
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Bulking Up on Antioxidants
LicenciaCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
URLNota del Doctor
Be sure to check out all my other videos on antioxidants and don’t miss my other videos on bowel movements.
For more context, check out my associated blog posts: Stool Size and Breast Cancer Risk; Kiwi Fruit for Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Antioxidants in a Pinch: Dried Herbs and Spices; Best Treatment for Constipation; and Raspberries Reverse Precancerous Lesions.
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