Food is an inevitable part of every living organisms providing nutritional support for proper growth and development.
Food is usually obtained from plants and animals but consuming every type of food without knowing the hazards of it is usually disastrous for an individual human being.
According to American Cancer Society, 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women are prone to cancer.
Hence, it is the right time to be aware of foods that should be consumed and foods that should be literally avoided from our regular diet to live a sound life.
What does it actually mean a food to be carcinogenic?
We often hear people saying 'Oh, this food is carcinogenic' and 'consumption of such food invites cancer'.
Despite being aware of the fact, people intentionally eat such food being a regular habit or the taste bud demands the same food time and again.
For a specific food to be carcinogenic, it is very important to know the factors that make the food cancer causing.
Some of the foods that are widely accepted as cancer causing agents are alcohol, processed meat, and red meat.
Hughes told to HuffPost Australia,
"It's important to understand that when a food is classified as a carcinogen, this is an indication of how strong the evidence is the link between consumption and cancer," Hughes explained. "It is not an indication of how much cancer that food causes or how much of that food would give you cancer."
It follows that an individual should be very sensitive regarding some questions like: How does a food become cancer causing? Should such foods be omitted from our diet altogether? Is it certain to cause cancer eating such foods?
Some of the Foods that are if Consumed on a Regular Basis may cause Cancer
Some of the foods and drinks that are indicated as cancer causing are listed below:
1. Processed and Red Meat
Sausages, bacon, hot dogs, prosciutto, pimento loaf, etc are some of the processed meat containing chemical and preservatives like sodium nitrates which make it look appealing and fresh but is actually a best-known carcinogen.
Processed meat is indicated as the Most Dangerous Foods in the World. As per a research conducted by WHO risk of causing colorectal cancer increase to 17% if 100 gram of such meat is consumed by a person on daily basis.
2. Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs)
The GMOs are rapidly immersing at an alarming rate in industries. More than 90% of our grains and cereals are now genetically modified ones.
Though these foods look attractive and fresh, it actually hampers the health in a long term.
Experts admit that they were, in fact, unaware of the possible health hazards of GMOs on human beings.
The trend of GMOs is increased in such a way that without which the daily demand of food can't be fulfilled at the present context across the globe.
3. Microwave Popcorn
Microwaved popcorn lies on the peak causing cancer associated with lungs around the world. Conventional microwave-popcorn bags ar lined with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), also known as C8.
Many research proved that PFOA causes the significant increase of cancer associated with kidney, bladder, testicles, liver, and pancreas.
Here is a good news to all that you can still enjoy microwave popcorn. Just use organic kernels, kept in the brown paper and lay it flat in the microwave.
4. Canned Tomatoes
The lining of almost all kinds of canned foods is made with a harmful chemical called bisphenol-A or simply BPA.
Even a minute exposure to BPA increase the possible risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, metabolic abnormality, early puberty, infertility, and tye-2 diabetes.
It is better to use fresh tomatoes when you cook a meal to avoid the predetermined hazards.
5. Bread
Potassium bromate is detected in many bakery items including 86 types of bread. The chemical accelerates the manufacturing process making it white and alluring. But consumers has to pay a serious cost being unaware of the facts of it.
Several health organizations have indicated potassium bromate as the human carcinogen.
Many countries including United States, U.K., Canada, and Brazil prohibited the use of potassium bromate in processing bakery items.
6. Alcohol
After tobacco, consumption of alcohol is the lead cause of cancer in a human. It is known to all that a moderate or low amount alcohol is actually good to minimize heart-related complications including heart failure and stroke.
World Health Organization stated that consumption of alcohol in excess causes mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum, and breast cancer.
There are several other food items causing cancer including white flour, farmed fish, grilled meat, refined sugar, salted, pickled, and smoked foods, hydrogenated oils, and farmed salmon.
Steps to Help Prevent Cancer
In addition to the foods mentioned above, it is necessary to avoid foods labeled as 'diet', 'light' or 'fat-free'.
Such foods are actually added with harmful chemicals in order to remove fat and natural calories which are a risk to human health.
Here is top ten list of foods to prevent cancer. Have some knowledge:
Instead of having such food that the manufacturer claims is 'actually good for you', you can adopt these tips to avoid cancer in an easy way:
- Eat organic food whenever possible.
- Use raw or clean frozen if fresh one is not available in your area.
- Consume non-starchy vegetables. In the case of animal products only select the pasteurized ones.
- Use only high-quality oils including coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, or grass-fed butter.
- Avoid sugar in your diet especially the refined ones as far as possible.
- Add more fruits and vegetables on the diet list.
- Eat wholegrain foods in excess.
- Eat less high-calorie food, salt, and processed meat.
Consumption of foods mentioned above definitely decrease the risk of cancer but not to the fullest. An individual should be aware on every single causative agent of cancer and be alert on the signs and symptoms.
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