The statement “everything causes cancer” has
become a popular hyperbole, and one that some
people use as rhetorical fodder to excuse their own
dietary and lifestyle failures, particularly as they pertain
to cancer risk.
But the truth of the matter is that many
common food items have, indeed, been scientifically
shown to increase cancer risk, and some of them
substantially. Here are 10 of the most unhealthy,
cancer-causing foods that you should never eat
again:
1) Genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). It goes
without saying that GMOs have no legitimate place in
any cancer-free diet, especially now that both GMOs
and the chemicals used to grow them have been
shown to cause rapid tumor growth. But GMOs are
everywhere, including in most food derivatives made
from conventional corn, soybeans, and canola.
However, you can avoid them by sticking with certified
organic, certified non-GMO verified, and locally-grown
foods that are produced naturally without
biotechnology.
2) Processed meats. Most processed meat products,
including lunch meats, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs,
contain chemical preservatives that make them appear
fresh and appealing, but that can also cause cancer.
Both sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate have been
linked to significantly increasing the risk of colon and
other forms of cancer, so be sure to choose only
uncured meat products made without nitrates, and
preferably from grass-fed sources.
3) Microwave popcorn. They might be convenient, but
those bags of microwave popcorn are lined with
chemicals that are linked to causing not only infertility
but also liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancers. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
recognizes the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in
microwave popcorn bag linings as “likely”
carcinogenic, and several independent studies have
linked the chemical to causing tumors. Similarly, the
diacetyl chemical used in the popcorn itself is linked to
causing both lung damage and cancer.
4) Soda pop. Like processed meats, soda pop has
been shown to cause cancer as well. Loaded with
sugar, food chemicals, and colorings, soda pop
acidifies the body and literally feeds cancer cells.
Common soda pop chemicals like caramel color and
its derivative 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) have also
specifically been linked to causing cancer.
5) ‘Diet’ foods, beverages. Even worse than
conventional sugar-sweetened soda pop, though, is
“diet” soda pop and various other diet beverages and
foods. A recent scientific review issued by the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) of more than
20 separate research studies found that aspartame,
one of the most common artificial sweeteners, causes
a range of illnesses including birth defects and cancer.
Sucralose (Splenda), saccharin and various other
artificial sweeteners have also been linked to causing
cancer.
6) Refined ‘white’ flours. Refined flour is a common
ingredient in processed foods, but its excess
carbohydrate content is a serious cause for concern. A
study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology,
Mile Markers, and Prevention found that regular
consumption of refined carbohydrates was linked to a
220 percent increase in breast cancer among women.
High-glycemic foods in general have also been shown
to rapidly raise blood sugar levels in the body, which
directly feeds cancer cell growth and spread.
7) Refined sugars. The same goes for refined sugars,
which tend to rapidly spike insulin levels and feed the
growth of cancer cells. Fructose-rich sweeteners like
high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are particularly
offensive, as cancer cells have been shown to quickly
and easily metabolize them in order to proliferate. And
since cookies, cakes, pies, sodas, juices, sauces,
cereals, and many other popular, mostly processed,
food items are loaded with HFCS and other refined
sugars, this helps explain why cancer rates are on the
rise these days.
8) Conventional apples, grapes, and other ‘dirty’
fruits. Many people think they are eating healthy when
they buy apples, grapes, or strawberries from the
store. But unless these fruits are organic or verified to
be pesticide-free, they could be a major cancer risk.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that up
to 98 percent of all conventional produce, and
particularly the type found on its “dirty” fruits list, is
contaminated with cancer-causing pesticides.
9) Farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is another high-
risk cancer food, according to Dr. David Carpenter,
Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment
at the University of Albany. According to his
assessment, farmed salmon not only lacks vitamin D,
but it is often contaminated with carcinogenic
chemicals, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), flame
retardants, pesticides, and antibiotics.
10) Hydrogenated oils. They are commonly used to
preserve processed foods and keep them shelf-stable.
But hydrogenated oils alter the structure and flexibility
of cell membranes throughout the body, which can
lead to a host of debilitating diseases such as cancer.
Some manufacturers are phasing out the use of
hydrogenated oils and replacing them with palm oil
and other safer alternatives, but trans fats are still
widely used in processed foods.
Stay Healthy !!!
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