EATING yoghurt could slash your risk of deadly lung cancer, a study shows.
Fermented dairy — including the breakfast favourite and soured cream — were linked to lower chances of the disease, US researchers found.
GettyEating yoghurt could slash your risk of deadly lung cancer, a study by Oregon State University researchers found[/caption]
They tracked diets in around 101,709 adults for 13 years to see how their dairy intake affected their likelihood of getting cancer.
Dr Lan Doan, of Oregon State University, said: “Our results suggest an inverse association of lung cancer risk with fermented dairy intake.
“Future studies exploring underlying molecular mechanisms are warranted.”
Around 48,500 Brits are diagnosed with lung cancer every year, making it the third most common cancer in the UK.
It is the deadliest form of cancer, with around 34,800 dying annually in the country.
Symptoms include a persistent cough, coughing up blood and breathlessness, and the disease is most common in current and former smokers, although it is not exclusive to them.
A growing body of research has linked fermented foods — including yoghurt — to a lower risk of cancer because of their probiotic effects.
They contain gut-friendly bacteria, which can improve your microbiome and influence the immune system.
The study, published in the Elsevier journal Clinical Nutrition, looked at how dairy intake affected people’s risk of lung cancer.
They surveyed participants about what they ate and drank and all cases of the disease were diagnosed by medics.
Of those in the study, around 1,583 got lung cancer.
Those that ate and drank the most dairy did not have any greater or lower risk of the disease than those who had the least.
But eating more fermented dairy lowered the risk, with no difference seen between low-fat or full-fat types.
Drinking whole milk increased the risk of lung cancer by around 24 per cent, researchers found.
Dr Doan said: “Among fermented dairy products, yoghurt intake was inversely associated with lung cancer risk, whereas cheese intake had no association.
“Our finding of an inverse association with intake of fermented dairy products is consistent with the potential involvement of microbiota in lung cancer.”