In a latest interview, Queen Camilla’s son Tom Parker-Bowles implied that his stepfather, King Charles III, is decreasing his meat consumption after going by way of most cancers remedy. He instructed Saga Journal, “I eat meat, however I’m going simple on the crimson meat—as does my mom.” He continued, including: “The King, after what he’s been by way of just lately, is wanting once more at what—and when—he eats.”
Parker-Bowles didn’t check with the King’s most cancers analysis particularly, however he did point out the position meals performs in well being. “I’m no nutritionist, however I do know that meals is a part of a physique’s ‘medication’. It is aware of once we’re having the correct stuff,” he stated.
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Again in February, Buckingham Palace shared with the general public for the primary time that the King had been recognized with most cancers. It didn’t specify which sort of most cancers he was going through, and it hasn’t elaborated since.
Nonetheless, the King appears to now be getting nearer to resuming his busy schedule. In October 2024, one senior palace official introduced that the royal can be returning to official international duties in 2025. “We’re now engaged on a reasonably normal-looking full abroad tour program for subsequent yr. Which is a excessive for us to finish on, to know that we will be pondering in these phrases, topic to signoff by medical doctors,” the palace stated.
Does King Charles eat meat?
Like Parker-Bowles, who instructed Saga that he was contemplating beef or “stuffed boar’s head” for Christmas dinner, the King doesn’t observe a very plant-based weight-reduction plan. Nonetheless, he has stated up to now that he tries to chop again on meat for environmental causes.
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In 2021, he instructed BBC that he tries to abstain from meat for not less than two days per week. “The enterprise of what we eat, after all, is necessary,” he stated. Talking about decreasing emissions, he added: “Now, I imply [reducing the consumption of animal products] is one option to do it—if extra did that, you would cut back loads of the stress on the atmosphere and every part else.”
That is just like Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s method to weight-reduction plan. “Once I’m filming, I’m aware of what I eat. I attempt to eat vegan in the course of the week after which have a little bit bit extra flexibility with what I dig into on the weekends,” the King’s daughter-in-law as soon as instructed Greatest Well being Journal.
As implied by Parker-Bowles, King Charles could now be decreasing meat once more—this time for his well being.
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Whereas the specifics of King Charles’s well being journey stay personal, a rising physique of analysis certainly means that reducing down on meat—significantly crimson meat and processed meat—and switching to a extra plant-forward weight-reduction plan can assist to scale back the danger of many power illnesses, together with most cancers, and help in restoration.
What the analysis says about weight-reduction plan and most cancers
In his interview with Saga, Parker-Bowles particularly talked about decreasing crimson meat, which is related to an elevated danger of most cancers—significantly colorectal most cancers.
Again in 2015, the World Well being Group first categorized crimson meat as a bunch 2 carcinogen, which implies it’s more likely to trigger most cancers. Processed meat is classed as group 1, which implies it’s identified to trigger most cancers.
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This yr, a brand new examine revealed precisely why crimson meat may enhance the danger of the illness. Based on researchers from the Company for Science, Expertise, and Analysis and the Nationwide Most cancers Centre Singapore, the danger appears to return from the iron in crimson meat, which prompts an enzyme known as telomerase. In a nutshell, this enzyme could assist most cancers cells to unfold within the colon.
Nonetheless, an abundance of analysis confirms that, not like crimson meat, plant-based meals could assist to scale back the danger of power illnesses, together with most cancers. It is because plant-based entire meals, like beans, greens, fruits, entire grains, and legumes, are wealthy in plant compounds and antioxidants that assist to sort out cell injury within the physique.
Plant meals are additionally good sources of fiber, which helps to maintain bowel actions frequent. This helps to scale back irritation and rid the physique of poisons, together with carcinogens. The truth is, in line with the American Institute for Most cancers Analysis, each 10 gram enhance in fiber consumption helps to scale back the danger of colorectal most cancers by seven p.c.
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Plant meals aren’t simply related to a lowered danger of colorectal most cancers. They’ve additionally been linked with a decrease danger of breast most cancers and prostate most cancers. Plus, adopting a plant-based weight-reduction plan may additionally assist with most cancers restoration, too.
“A few of the finest meals to eat throughout chemotherapy or different most cancers therapies are plant-based proteins,” notes John Hopkins Drugs. “They provide the very best ranges of nutritional vitamins and minerals.”
It’s necessary to notice that whereas a plant-based weight-reduction plan could assist to scale back the danger of most cancers, it’s not a assure that an individual gained’t develop the illness or expertise recurrence. Different wholesome life-style habits which will assist to scale back the danger of most cancers embody common train, sustaining a wholesome weight, and getting loads of sleep, however once more, nothing can utterly eradicate most cancers danger.
“Switching to a plant-based weight-reduction plan generally is a smart alternative for decreasing the danger of sure cancers,” Australian dietitian and physician of meals and vitamin Shy Vishnumohan, PhD., instructed VegNews. “Nonetheless you will need to keep in mind that a number of components contribute to most cancers danger, together with genetics, life-style habits, and environmental components.”
She added: “It’s only one half of a bigger image of wellness. Life is sort of a stack of playing cards—whereas there isn’t any magic bullet that may assure 100-percent immunity, making wholesome meals decisions which might be plant-forward will be highly effective and stack the deck in our favor.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and author primarily based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.