Today, it seems like everything is linked to causing cancer so it’s hard to determine what to really stay away from. But it pays to be mindful because you could be eating some of the biggest carcinogen culprits everyday without even knowing it. While you may be thinking “If everything causes cancer, why bother changing my diet?” these 10 common food items in particular have been scientifically shown to significantly increase the risk of cancers:
READ MORE:
Here’s Why You Really Should Get A Pap Smear And Take Care Of Your Cervix
10 Breast Commandments That Could Save Your Life
“Freezing My Eggs Was The Best Decision I’ve Made”
Microwave popcorn bags you have in your cabinet are lined with carcinogenic chemicals. If you can’t give up your favorite movie-time snack, it’s time to switch to the old-fashioned stove top or a kernel popping machine like you see at movie theaters.
Lycopene in tomatoes lowers cancer risks, but that benefit is completely cancelled out when the lining of canned tomatoes contain chemicals that disrupt our bodies hormonal activity. Next time you feel like making a bolognese sauce, go with a glass jar or stew the tomatoes yourself.
Processed meats are created with excessive salt and chemicals that damage our health. These meats are so packed with preservatives to look fresh, but they are well-known carcinogens, including the same things found in cigarette smoke.
Farm-raised fish are fed unnatural diets and contaminated with chemicals, antibiotics, pesticides and other known carcinogens found in materials like asbestos. Next time you want a healthy omega-3 packed, treat yourself to fresh Alaskan salmon instead.
These crispy, fatty foods don’t only cause weight gain because of their high trans-fat content, they also have excessive levels of sodium. Another risk is the presence of acrymalide, a known carcinogen found in cigarettes.
Hydrogenated oils are vegetable oils, which cannot be naturally extracted like olive oil, soy or canola oil, they must be chemically removed. NEVER cook with hydrogenated oils and check your labels for healthy oils like olive, soy and canola instead.
Many salty, pickled and smoked foods are processed with the preservative nitrate, which are associated with high cancer-developing risks. While smoked foods like meat or nuts absorb the smoke, which contains the same tar found in cigarettes.
Cancer cells LOVE refined sugars, which spike insulin levels and and promote cancer growth. High-fructose corn syrup is considered the worst offender and it’s found in any sweet you can think of.
Alcohol use is the second leading cause of cancer, right behind tobacco use. While a moderate or low consumption of alcohol can be healthy and lead to a reduced risk of heart disease, excessive alcohol use is the biggest cause of mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum and breast cancers.
Red meat is actually a good thing in your diet in small doses, but only if it’s grass-fed beef, which can actually help fight certain cancers. However, people who eat meat like hamburgers every day have a greater risk in developing deadly cancers.
READ MORE:
Here’s How You Can Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Weight Faster Every Day
The 10 Things Healthy People Always Have In Their Fridge
Here’s The Happiest Diet In The World: The Scandinavian Diet
Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) is offering Pap smear screening at no cost to eligible women as part of SCS Women’s Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Campaign 2017, organised to raise greater awareness of uterine, ovarian and cervical cancers. Some 161 General Practitioner clinics island-wide have joined the SCS WGCAM campaign to provide free Pap smear screening until 31 July 2017.