Who isn't afraid of the word “cancer”? we all know a family member or a
friend who had it. And indeed, according to the American Cancer Society, more
than one million people in the United States get cancer each year. The American
Cancer Society lists many possible causes to cancer disease, including genetic
factors, lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, diet, and physical activity,
certain types of infections and environmental exposures to different types of
chemicals and radiation. So let’s have a
look at these cancer promoting foods so we all know not only what to eat, but
what NOT to eat (or at least reduce their intake).
1. High
intake of processed foods
Many
different substances are added to commercially prepared foods, such as
artificial colors, chemical flavors, salt, sugar or artificial sweeteners.
These additives are constantly investigated by researchers to check if any of
them is thought to be a real risk. Sometimes there is a scare about a
particular additive and some additives are thought to be a cancer risk. Heavily
salted, smoked and pickled foods, for example, may increase the risk of stomach
cancer. This may explain why there is such a high rate of stomach cancer in
Japan, where salty, pickled foods are popular. Also an epidemiological study
published in June 2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that
a diet high in salt can increase in 10% the risk of stomach cancer. Also
artificial food coloring present many health risks. The research on
artificial food coloring and cancer is limited to animal studies, including
mice and rats, but some claim that these dyes are toxic – possibly toxic enough
to cause cancer also to humans.
2. High
intakes of red meat, processed meat or charred food
It has been
found that bowel and stomach cancer are more common in people who eat lots of
red and processed meat. Red meat includes all fresh, minced and frozen beef,
pork, lamb or veal. Also processed meats pose a risk for cancer. These have
been preserved in some way other than freezing and include bacon, ham, salami,
sausages, corned beef, black pudding, pâté and tinned meat. When you eat
processed meats, you’re almost assuredly consuming sodium nitrite or sodium
nitrate, which are added to processed and cured meats to preserve color and
extend shelf life. Unfortunately, these compounds can be converted to
nitrosamines, which are also known to cause cancer in laboratory rats
(though again, the link in people is unclear). Also hot dogs, bacon and the like
may also be preserved by methods involving smoke or salt, which also increases
the exposure to potentially carcinogenic chemicals.
Also charred
food creates chemicals that can damage our cells, making them more likely to
become cancerous. Therefore the way you cook your meat can potentially make a
big difference in the cancer risk it poses to you. Well-done and char-grilled
meats that are slightly burnt on the outside are among the worst foods that
increase the risk for cancer.
3. Sugar
There are a lot of websites that promote the idea that sugar “feeds”
cancer. They suggest that eating foods with sugar makes cancer grow faster. As
a result, some cancer patients avoid eating any sugar, and eliminating
beneficial foods, such as fruits, that contain essential nutrients. However
there is no conclusive research on human subjects to prove that sugar makes
cancerous cells grow. Avoiding foods with processed sugar is a good idea in
general, but eliminating foods with natural sugar won’t stop cancer cells from
dividing. According to Mayo clinic, sugar doesn’t make cancer grow faster. All cells, including cancer
cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to
cancer cells doesn’t speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of
sugar doesn’t slow their growth. The link between sugar and cancer is different
according to Canadian Cancer Society, eating lots of sugary foods are more likely to cause you to gain
weight. Research shows that being overweight or obese increases your risk of
cancer. This is because obesity may cause changes in hormone levels or insulin
that might increase the risk of developing breast, colon or uterine cancer.
Therefore limiting the amount of sugar in your diet is important. Diets high in
sugar and refined carbohydrates can lead to overweight and obesity, which
indirectly increases cancer risk over time.
Sugar can be found
not only in obvious foods such as cookies, cakes, sodas, soft drinks and other
sweets. Sugar can be found even in pasta sauce, salad dressing and canned
vegetables. So when reading food labels, look for sugar listed as the first
ingredient and be aware of hidden sugar names: fructose, lactose, sucrose,
maltose, glucose, dextrose. Natural sugars such as molasses, honey and maple
syrup contain beneficial antioxidants but those, too, should be consumed in
moderation.
4. Fried food, French fries,
potato chips and snack food
French fries, potato chips and other snacks may
contain high levels of acrylamide, another carcinogenic substance that forms
when foods are heated at high temperatures, such as during baking or frying.
Acrylamide may be found in any food heated to a temperature above 250° F, but
potato chips and French fries have been found to contain the highest levels
among foods tested. Cooking methods such as frying, baking or roasting are more
likely to produce acrylamide, while boiling, steaming, and microwaving appear
less likely to do so. Longer cooking times and cooking at higher temperatures
can increase the amount of acrylamide in foods further.
It must be mentioned that prolonged exposure to
acrylamide has caused a range of tumors in animal tests (rats and mice),
whereas most of the human studies published so far have failed to find any
links between acrylamide and various types of cancers. However many believe it
has a potential to be a human carcinogen because of those animal studies. If
you’re still worried, the FDA and other public health groups say the best way
is to follow the general advice on healthy eating, including limiting the
consumption of fried and fatty foods.
Another components found in these type of foods that
may increase the risk for cancer are trans fats or trans fatty acids. These are
formed when manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats via a process called
hydrogenation. And indeed, trans fats can be found in many foods including
vegetable shortening, margarine, crackers, cereals, candies, baked goods,
cookies, granola bars, chips, snack foods, salad dressings, fried foods, fats
and many other processed foods. Trans fats cannot only increase your risk of
cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, but the high intake of trans-fatty
acids may have a direct association with prostate cancer in men, which ranks
number one among the most common malignant cancers in American men. Chronic
inflammation plays an important role to the development of prostate cancer and
the association of trans-fats and chronic inflammation may explain the link
between prostate cancer and trans-fatty acid ingestion. However, further
studies and clinical trials are needed to establish this fact.
5. Excess alcohol
There
is a strong scientific consensus of the link between alcohol drinking and
several types of cancer. The more alcohol a person drinks regularly over time the
higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. According to Cancer
Research UK and American
Cancer society, alcohol can increase the
risk of a number of cancers, such as mouth cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer,
bowel cancer and throat cancer. You’ve probably heard about other studies
that have found that certain substances in red wine, such as resveratrol, have
anti cancer properties, but like many thing in life moderation is the key.Source: www.healthyandnaturalworld.com
