Do You Eat These Cancer-Causing Foods?
By Sara Butler
Declaring a food to cause cancer is a bold claim. Still, there are some foods that are known to increase your risk of developing cancer. Here’s a breakdown of what that means and what foods you may want to limit or avoid your exposure to in the name of health.
How Does Food Become Cancer Causing?
You know that some substances cause cancer, such as tobacco. For a food to be declared carcinogenic there must be clear evidence that links it to an increase in specific cancers. It also has to be backed up by evidence that it can cause some specific types of cancer to develop. So, this isn’t just an arbitrary list, these are actually foods that have been evidenced to be carcinogenic.
Common Foods to Look Out For
There are many everyday foods that have been labeled as carcinogenic. This includes:
- Processed meats – Items such as hot dogs, bacon, pepperoni, sausages, beef jerky, prosciutto, and salami or any meat that has been cured, salted, smoked, or chemically preserved.
- Alcoholic beverages – Alcohol has been linked to cancer of the liver, breast, stomach, throat, mouth, esophagus, and bowel. It damages the lining of the mouth and throat, increasing the risk of cancer.
- Red meat – Processed red meat such as ham, sausage, hot dogs, and salami have been linked to cancer by the World Health Organization. This also includes pork, beef, and lamb, which are classified as probable causes of cancer.
How Much is Too Much?
You must keep in mind that simply eating the foods isn’t the only factor because how long you eat them makes a difference, too. The risk of developing cancer from certain foods also depends on how long you’ve been exposed to them. One serving of bacon isn’t going to kill you tomorrow, but over time eating bacon regularly will increase your risk.
Some things that cause cancer should be completely avoided, such as tobacco. But some foods such as red meat have health benefits, which must also be weighed. For example, lean red meat contains important nutrients such as Vitamin B12, iron, protein, and zinc. So, you don’t have to cut meat completely out of your diet in order to avoid the risks, you just need to enjoy them in moderate amounts. And don’t forget there are plenty of other ways to get the protein you need in your diet, such as eggs, beans, legumes, chicken, or fish.
Processed meat is what you must be careful of. This can be cut out completely or enjoyed at a minimum in order to keep you safe.
What you eat has a huge impact on your overall health and wellness. Make sure to pay attention to what you're putting in your body.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Englewood, Colo.