Some of the foods that you eat on a daily basis could end up giving you cancer. Do you know which ones they are?
1 Do you regularly eat processed meats like salami, pepperoni, bacon or sausages? We don’t want to worry you, but you might want to revise your menu slightly…
An analysis of 10 studies carried out by the World Health Organization has shown that eating as little as 2 ounces of processed meat per day is enough to increase your risk of developing bowel cancer by 18%.
2 It’s hard not to salivate at the thought of a juicy, perfectly cooked steak. But delicious as it is, red meat has a dirty secret.
According to the same analysis by the World Health Organization, people who eat 3.5 ounces of red meat every day are 17% more likely to receive a cancer diagnosis in the next few years.
To reduce your risk of developing cancer, avoid eating processed or red meat on a daily basis. Opt instead for pulses or tofu – or just go vegetarian!
3 You’re not going to get cancer just because you enjoy a drink from time to time. However, if you consume more than two drinks every day, you’re increasing your risk of contracting different forms of cancer.
According to the National Toxicology Program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, people who consume 3.5 or more alcoholic drinks per day – around 2 ounces of alcohol – are up to three times more likely to suffer from mouth and throat cancers, and are 1.5 times more likely to develop bowel cancer than non-drinkers.
Another great reason why you should drink in moderation!
4 Health Canada recommends cooking meat thoroughly to avoid contracting a range of diseases. However, overcooking your food can be just as bad, increasing your risk of getting cancer.
When you overcook meat, or char grill it on a BBQ, you’re creating carcinogenic substances known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Steaming, poaching or baking meat significantly reduces the likelihood of creating PAHs.
5 Are you a big fan of coffee, tea or soup? If so, make sure that they’re not too hot before you swallow them.
According to the World Health Organization’s Agency for Research on Cancer, drinking liquids that are hotter than 150 degrees can, over the long term, increase your risk of getting cancer of the esophagus.
6 You’re probably aware that soda can make you gain weight, but did you know that it might also cause cancer?
This is according to Swedish researchers who, in a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that men who drink one can of soda per day are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This risk is highest for men over the age of 45.
7 Even though salmon is rich in omega-3, it’s important to pay attention to where it comes from if you don’t want to increase your risk of cancer.
This, at least, was the conclusion of a study conducted in 2004. Levels of persistent organic pollutants were much higher in farmed salmon than in its wild counterpart. Eating farmed salmon once a month, over the long term, puts you more at risk of developing cancer than if you only eat wild salmon.
8 Pasta is the perfect midweek supper for a huge number of families. However, eating too much white pasta increases your risk of lung cancer, even if you’ve never smoked in your life!
Texas researchers made the link between lung cancer and carbohydrates. The higher a food is in carbohydrates, the more it increases your risk of developing cancer. And guess what? Pasta is very high in carbohydrates!
9 The same Texas study also pointed the finger at white bread. This food, as popular as it is, could increase your risk of developing lung cancer by 49% through increasing your body’s glycemic index.
Yet another good reason to opt for brown bread?
10 A cheap and easy ingredient, canned tomatoes are certainly popular. However, in 2008, the XenoAnalytical LLC laboratory affiliated to the University of Missouri discovered that certain canned products, tomato sauce and juice in particular, contain bisphenol A, a chemical compound used to manufacture various plastic items such as CDs and water bottles.
As well as causing breast cancer, bisphenol A can increase your risk of suffering from hyperactivity, attention deficit, hormone imbalance and obesity.
11 Milk is well known for being rich in calcium, which is good for our bones. However, a 2004 study claimed that men who drink a lot of milk are 68% more likely to contract prostate cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society also believes that milk is a potential risk factor when it comes to developing prostate cancer due to the animal fat that this drink contains.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should never drink milk again! As long as you don’t drink more than two glasses per day (the quantity recommended by the University of Montreal’s Nutrition Department), you’ll be just fine.
12 Cancer just loves refined sugar. Why? Because this foodstuff helps cancer cells multiply. Out of all of the products containing refined sugar, corn syrup is particularly bad for you health.
13 Various studies carried out on animals have demonstrated the link between consumption of genetically modified products and the development of tumors (particularly in the stomach).
Another reason to go organic?
14 Lots of foods contain vegetable oil. As well as increasing your risk of cardiovascular complications, they may also increase your risk of developing breast cancer, according to a French study carried out in 2008.
Vegetable oils are present in a large number of ready meals sold at the supermarket. To reduce your risk of developing cancer, you simply need to reduce the number of ready meals you buy each week and, when cooking at home, use alternative oils such as olive oil.
15 We all know that microwave popcorn is full of calories, but that doesn’t stop us from indulging from time to time. It’s so good, and so easy!
Perhaps this will make you change your habits: to create the artificial butter flavor, some manufacturers use chemical products, some of which are known for increasing our risk of developing testicular, liver and pancreatic cancers.
Next time you have a craving for popcorn, make it from scratch. Without butter or salt, it’s an excellent snack, and not at all carcinogenic!
16 Unfortunately, you’re not going to save yourself from cancer by replacing microwave popcorn with chips.
According to the European Food Safety Authority, when chips are being manufactured at a high temperature, a potentially carcinogenic chemical compound called acrylamide attaches itself to the chips.
To be exact, the quantity of acrylamide in chips is 500 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended maximum quantities acceptable in water.
17 Potato fries also contain acrylamide. You might be interested to learn that a 2002 Swedish study discovered this same chemical substance in cigarette smoke!
That plate of fries is suddenly a bit less appetizing…
18 Peanuts are full of vitamins and minerals. In some cases, however, they might be carcinogenic.
Poorly treated or poorly stored peanuts are full of aflatoxin, a substance produced by mold and fungus, which increases your risk of liver cancer.
In certain African and Asian countries, there is a risk of aflatoxin forming in peanuts. If you’re traveling to or living in these parts of the world, it might be a good idea to avoid eating peanuts.
19 To bleach flour, manufacturers use chlorine and chlorine dioxide. Inhaling these chemicals is already pretty bad for you, so just imagine what might happen if you “eat” them.
In addition, as white flour has a high glycemic index, it increases our blood sugar which, in turn, increases our risk of developing diabetes and cancer.
Just one more reason why whole-wheat flour is a much more healthy choice.
20 According to the Canadian Cancer Society, cases of nasopharyngeal cancer are most frequent in regions where consumption of salted fish is highest.
In other words, regularly eating salted fish increases your risk of suffering from this type of cancer.
No comments:
Post a Comment