Top 5 Cancer CAUSING FOOD's to AVOID ---- part 1 of 2

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 lets 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 posses 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.


To be Continued......Thank you for reading my post.