May lower risk
Plain yogurt
unsweetened yogurt. Dairy.
- Verdict
- May lower riskSome studies point to lower risk, but it isn't confirmed.
- How sure
- Rung 2 · LimitedFew, small or conflicting human studies, or only indirect measures such as blood markers.
- How big
- 20% fewer of one bacterial subtype of colorectal cancer; no drop in colorectal cancer overall.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
Colorectal
What the evidence shows
Dairy probably lowers colorectal cancer risk. In two large U.S. cohorts, eating yogurt at least twice a week was linked to 20% fewer colorectal cancers carrying Bifidobacterium bacteria, though not to fewer colorectal cancers overall.
What to do
Choose plain or unsweetened yogurt to avoid added sugar.
Sources
To take it to your doctor, print this page.
Step by step
For the whole picture, from prevention and screening to treatment and life after, see the colorectal cancer page.