Young Adults & Colorectal Cancer: Why Fiber Matters More Than Ever

A Fiber Deficiency Starts Young 

Millennials and Gen Z are the first generations to grow up on ultra-processed foods—and colorectal cancer rates are rising right alongside them.

Ultra-processed diets are more than just “junk food.” These highly manufactured foods, from frozen pizza to sugary cereals, are stripped of natural fiber and loaded with refined carbohydrates, added sugars, unhealthy fats, artificial ingredients, and preservatives.

At the same time, 95% of Americans—across all ages—do not get enough fiber. Fiber deficiency disrupts gut health, leaving the colon more vulnerable to inflammation and harmful bacterial overgrowth. Slower digestion means waste lingers in the gut longer than it should, increasing exposure to toxins and potential carcinogens, which can be reabsorbed back into the body instead of being eliminated. 

For young people raised on processed foods, the combination of low fiber and gut imbalances could be helping fuel the rise in colorectal cancer cases. 

How Does Fiber Support Colon Health?

Most people think of dietary fiber as a way to “stay regular,” but its role in cancer prevention goes WAY beyond regularity. Here’s what a high-fiber lifestyle does for your gut — and why it matters for cancer prevention:

Feeds Beneficial Gut Bacteria: Fiber acts as prebiotic fuel for the trillions of bacteria living in your gut. A fiber-rich diet helps foster a more diverse and balanced gut microbiome, one that supports immune function, controls inflammation, and helps maintain the integrity of the gut barrier — keeping harmful substances from crossing into the bloodstream and triggering inflammation. 

A balanced gut is critical for colorectal health, as disruptions in gut bacteria (dysbiosis) have been linked to chronic inflammation, impaired immune surveillance, and an increased risk of colorectal cancer. 

By consistently feeding beneficial bacteria with fiber, we help create a protective gut environment that supports short and long-term health. (Learn more about the connection between the gut microbiome and colorectal cancer risk in this National Library of Medicine study.) 

Moves Waste Efficiently: Fiber keeps digestion moving at a healthy pace (not too fast… and not too slow), ensuring that waste moves through the colon and is eliminated regularly. 

When waste lingers longer than it should, harmful byproducts — including potential carcinogens — spend more time in contact with the colon lining. Prolonged exposure increases the risk of irritation, inflammation, and cellular damage that can contribute to colorectal cancer.

Soluble prebiotic fiber creates a gel-like substance that coats the inside lining of the gut and binds to waste, which makes it easier to eliminate, while insoluble fiber primarily adds bulk to keep everything moving smoothly. BOTH insoluble and soluble fiber are equally important! Together, they support gut health and reduce unnecessary exposure to harmful compounds.

Reduces Inflammation: Low-fiber diets allow harmful bacteria to thrive, triggering chronic inflammation in the gut. Over time, this inflammatory environment can damage the cells lining the colon, increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. Fiber-rich diets support anti-inflammatory gut conditions, helping protect against both inflammation and long-term disease risk. (Learn more about how pro-inflammatory diets increase colorectal cancer risk in this article from Healthline.)

Supports Blood Sugar Balance: Blood sugar spikes — often fueled by ultra-processed foods, sugary snacks, and refined grains — set off more than short-term energy crashes. They trigger systemic inflammation, contributing to an environment where harmful bacteria thrive and gut barrier function weakens. Over time, these inflammatory responses can extend beyond the gut, contributing to chronic inflammation throughout the body — a known driver of colorectal cancer risk.

Fiber helps flatten those spikes by slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, keeping blood sugar levels more stable after meals. This not only supports metabolic health but also reduces the inflammatory cascade that links blood sugar dysregulation to cancer risk. 

With consistent fiber intake at meals and snacks, young adults can support gut health and overall inflammatory balance. These daily choices help protect the colon and lower long-term cancer risk. 

Inflammation, Gut Health, and Cancer: The Missing Link

Want to know what researchers are finding? The link between gut health and cancer risk is more clear than ever. 

Researchers studying young-onset colorectal cancer consistently trace risk factors back to the gut. Diets low in fiber and high in ultra-processed foods disrupt the microbiome, weaken the gut barrier, and trigger chronic inflammation—conditions that create fertile ground for colorectal cancer to develop. Supporting gut health with prebiotic soluble fiber helps disrupt this cycle, making it one of the most powerful tools we have for prevention.

Prevention Starts With You 

You have more influence over your colon health than you might realize. Every meal, snack, and sip is an opportunity to support your gut and lower your risk of colorectal cancer. 

Small changes - especially adding more fiber - and choosing less processed foods - can make a real difference in how your gut functions, how well your microbiome thrives, and how resilient your body is against inflammation and disease.

Here’s how you can take action right now:

Pay attention to your fiber intake. Aim for at least 30 grams every day. Fiber is one of the most powerful tools you have to support gut health, keep digestion moving, and reduce inflammation — all essential for a healthy colon.

Rethink ultra-processed foods. There’s room for all foods in a balanced life, but it is important to know how ultra-processed options affect your gut. These foods are stripped of dietary fiber and disrupt your gut microbiome when they crowd out fiber-rich meals.

Make small swaps. Choose whole grains, fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds as often as you can. 

Supplement to Close the Fiber Gap. Reaching 30 grams of fiber every single day can be challenging—especially for young adults balancing work, family, and everything in between.  (Even if we know it’s good for us!) That’s why many people turn to fiber supplements to help bridge the gap. 

Adding a prebiotic fiber supplement closes the fiber gap and helps protect your colon without overhauling your entire routine. 

Practical Prevention—One Scoop (or Stick) at a Time

With colorectal cancer rates rising among young adults, there’s an urgent need for solutions that fit into busy, real-life routines. That’s where just better.® prebiotic fiber comes in. It dissolves completely into the meals and drinks you already enjoy — no grit, no taste, no embarrassing side effects, and no hassle.

From your morning coffee and favorite recipes to happy hour with friends, every scoop helps to:

• Nourish beneficial gut bacteria

• Keep digestion moving

• Supports balanced blood sugar and reduces inflammation — both essential for long-term colon health.

It’s a small but powerful healthy habit with BIG protective benefits, designed to work with your life—not against it.

A Life-Saving Call to Action 

If you’re reading this, this is your sign to act — for yourself, for your health, and your future. Colorectal cancer is showing up in younger adults at alarming rates, but this is not a fight you are powerless against.

Every meal is a chance to protect your gut.
Every gram of fiber is a step toward a healthier colon.
Every conversation about colon and gut health could save a life.

Start paying attention to your fiber intake. Start feeding your gut the way it deserves. Start today because prevention starts long before a diagnosis. Your gut health matters. Your future matters. And you are worth the effort. Let’s live just better.®!