A new study of colon cancer tumor cells finds the kind of inflammation that is known to be caused by the typical American diet.

Seed oils — plant-based cooking oils often used in processed, packaged foods — have been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer, according to a new study published in the medical journal Gut.

Science has already linked ultra-processed foods to heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, and cancer. But new research out of the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute has confirmed the cancer link in a powerful way—by finding evidence of inflammation in the colon cancer tumors themselves.

A new study suggests certain lipids, particularly omega-6 fatty acids, which are commonly found in seed oils used to make ultraprocessed junk food, may promote inflammation in colon cancer tumors