Over the past several years I have read numerous books and blogs and watched several documentaries about nutrition and the problems caused by the overly processed foods that are so prevalent in the American diet. And over the years I have mostly gradually–and sometimes abruptly–eliminated many of the biggest health offenders from my diet and that of my immediately family. I don't take things to the extreme, and I'm okay with occasional slip or indulgence, but for the most part, I have a pretty clean diet. To be honest, after so much research, I've determined that some foods are just not worth the risk–especially easily avoidable foods that have been linked to cancer. Keep reading to find out which seven cancer causing foods–which you're probably eating–you must avoid.
Read more ¿Qué más?: 5 Foods you should stop eating now
Artificial sweeteners. Besides tasting pretty awful, the artificial sweeteners that have been used in diet sodas and other "diet" foods have been shown to be even worse for your body than real sugar. What they lack in calories, they make up for in harmful chemicals. The commonly used aspartame (used in most sugar-free gums) has long been known as a cancer-causing agent, but so-called better alternatives like sucralose and saccharin have also been linked to cancer. Remeber to check any packaged snacks and drinks and steer clear of these sweeteners.
Fast food. Most fast-food–particularly made by the bigger chain restaurants–is cooked in hydrogenated oils which have been shown to alter the structure of cell membranes in the body making it more susceptible to diseases including cancer. Not to mention that food cooked at very high temperatures, i.e. deep fried like french fries and potato chips, release a cancer-causing material called acrylamide.
Processed sugar. Cancer cells feed off sugar and the more refined the sugar is, the more quickly the cancer can consume them and consequently spread throughout the body. So while chemical sweeteners might cause the cancer in the first place, any refined sugar can make it worse. Fructose-heavy sweeteners like the controversial high fructose corn syrup, are some of the most highly processed, making them among the most dangerous.
Processed meats. Most processed meats like deli meat, sausages, bacon and hot dogs, contain nitrates. The main ones to look out for are sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, which have both been linked to colon cancer. However, these days there are many safer alternatives in grocery stores. Look for uncured, nitrate-free versions of your favorites.
Charred/overcooked meat. Some studies have shown that people who eat well-done or charred meat have a 70 percent higher change of getting cancer than those who don't. When meat is cooked at a high temperature, the amino acids and creatine in the meat interact with the heat to form heterocyclic amines which can cause cancer all throughout the digestive system.
Microwave popcorn. It's not the corn kernels themselves that are the problem, it's the material used to make the bags they're in. The Environmental Protection Agency has said that the lining of these bags is "likely" carncinogenic. Plus, the ingredients used to flavor and preserve the kernels are chemical and could be contributing factors to cancer as well. It's so easy to make your microwave popcorn. All you have to do is put 1/4 to 1/3 cup of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag and microwave for about two minutes. You can eat as is or drizzle on some melted butter and salt when it's done.
Soda. Soda is made of a few of the dangerous ingredients we've already mentioned, so of course the fizzy beverage itself is a no-no. Whether it's diet or not, the artifical or refined sweeteners used, the chemical additives and preservatives and even the dye used to color it have all been linked to cancer.
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