It is often said that our health is directly connected to the food we consume. With around 1.5 million people being diagnosed with cancer each year, it is crucial to be informed about the potential cancer-causing foods we might be eating daily. Here are 18 common foods that could be increasing your cancer risk.
1. Microwave Popcorn
The bags used for microwave popcorn contain perfluorooctanoic acid, a harmful toxin associated with infertility in women and increased risk of kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas, and testicular cancers. Most popcorns also use soybean oil, which can cause stomach issues and skin rashes.
2. Farmed Salmon
Farmed salmon are often raised on artificial foods and can be laden with chemicals, antibiotics, pesticides, and other known carcinogens.
3. Soda Pop
Sodas, loaded with sugar, contribute significantly to nationwide obesity and can lead to inflammation, insulin resistance, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
4. Processed Meats
Processed meats like sausages, hot dogs, and bacon can damage your health due to the numerous chemicals and preservatives they contain.
5. Canned Foods
Most cans are lined with bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that can affect gene function. As a result, canned foods are often considered to increase vulnerability to cancer.
6. Refined Sugars
German Nobel laureate in medicine, Otto Warburg, discovered in 1931 that tumors and cancers feed on sugars to grow and proliferate. Refined sugars lack nutritional value and can be detrimental to our health.
7. Potato Chips
Potato chips are high in fat and sodium, which can contribute to weight gain, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
8. Hydrogenated Oils
Hydrogenated oils are often deodorized and colored to appear more attractive. They contain elevated levels of Omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause heart disease and various cancers, particularly skin cancer.
9. Pickled and Smoked Foods
Smoked foods contain significant amounts of tar, a known carcinogen. Pickled foods, which are cured with nitrates and often artificially colored, have been linked to higher rates of colorectal and stomach cancer.
10. Highly Processed White Flours
Refining grains removes their natural nutrients and results in a high glycemic rate, which can rapidly increase blood sugar and insulin levels.
11. GMOs
A study by the Rowett Institute found that rats fed GMO foods all exhibited damaged immune systems, pre-cancerous cell growths, and smaller brains and livers.
12. Artificial Sweeteners
There is growing evidence that the chemicals in artificial sweeteners break down into a harmful toxin called DKP in the body, which can cause cancer, particularly brain tumors.
13. Alcohol
While moderate alcohol consumption can be healthy, excessive drinking is the leading cause of heart failure, stroke, sudden death, female breast cancers, and more.
14. Diet Foods
Diet foods are typically chemically processed and often contain aspartame, which has been linked to various diseases such as cancer, birth defects, and heart problems.
15. Red Meat
Studies have shown that consuming red meat daily, even in small amounts, increases a man’s risk of dying from cancer by 22 percent and a woman’s by 20 percent.
16. Non-organic Fruits
Non-organic fruits can be contaminated with dangerous pesticides such as organophosphates and atrazine, which can cause severe health problems in humans, particularly affecting reproductive capabilities.
17. High Fat Foods
While fat is not directly linked to cancer, consuming high-fat foods can lead to other health issues, primarily obesity, which increases the risk of bowel, pancreatic, breast, and kidney cancer.
18. Donuts
These sugary treats contain trans-fats, processed sugar, and white flour—all of which are cancer-causing foods mentioned previously. To stay healthy, it’s best to avoid them.
