You are likely aware that eating junk food is a major risk factor for cancer. But did you know that some so-called health foods are actually carcinogens in disguise?
Or that certain ingredients found in virtually all packaged foods present a serious health risk?
By being an informed consumer, we can help influence for good the types of products that end up on our grocery shelves, and enjoy better health to boot.
Read on to discover 17 very common foods known to increase cancer risk, along with some healthier alternatives.
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1. Soda
Not only is soda jampacked with sugar – cancer’s fuel of choice – but it often also contains caramel color. This artificial coloring has the carcinogenic chemical 4-MEI as a byproduct. Laboratory tests show that 4-MEI shows up in sodas with caramel color.
Alternatives – Water is always best, but if you really crave the sweet, bubbly hit of soda, choose a natural brand without caramel color.
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Canned foods are dangerous because the cans are lined with the chemical BPA, a known hormone disrupter. Canned tomatoes are especially problematic because their acidity causes the BPA to leach into the food. Tomatoes in general are very healthy; it’s the packaging that’s the problem here.
Alternatives – Eat fresh or frozen produce.
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5. Hydrogenated oils
Vegetable oils are not extracted from their source naturally but instead must undergo a chemical process. Later, even more, chemicals are added to achieve the desired look and consistency of the product, resulting in an extremely high level of unhealthy omega-6 fats.
Alternatives – Choose olive, soy, or canola oil instead; these oils are naturally extracted.
Or that certain ingredients found in virtually all packaged foods present a serious health risk?
By being an informed consumer, we can help influence for good the types of products that end up on our grocery shelves, and enjoy better health to boot.
Read on to discover 17 very common foods known to increase cancer risk, along with some healthier alternatives.
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1. Soda
Not only is soda jampacked with sugar – cancer’s fuel of choice – but it often also contains caramel color. This artificial coloring has the carcinogenic chemical 4-MEI as a byproduct. Laboratory tests show that 4-MEI shows up in sodas with caramel color.
Alternatives – Water is always best, but if you really crave the sweet, bubbly hit of soda, choose a natural brand without caramel color.
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2. Grilled red meat
While a nice char on that steak may taste good, the high temperatures used for its cooking produce cancer-causing hydrocarbons. And excessive consumption of red meat, in general, is thought to up your cancer risk.
Alternatives – Eat red meat sparingly, cook it carefully, and choose organic, grass-fed beef if possible.
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3. Microwave popcorn
There’s a triple whammy here – the butter flavoring used in many microwave popcorn brands releases diacetyl, a known toxin when cooked. Next, the perfluorooctanoic acid that lines the bags themselves is carcinogenic. And finally, popcorn producers are not required to report whether or not their kernels are GMO.
Alternatives – Buy organic kernels and pop them in an air popper or on your stove.
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4. Canned food, especially tomatoes
Alternatives – Eat fresh or frozen produce.
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5. Hydrogenated oils
Alternatives – Choose olive, soy, or canola oil instead; these oils are naturally extracted.
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6. Farmed salmon
Though wild-caught salmon is one of the healthiest proteins you can eat, the farmed version is fed an unnatural diet full of chemicals, pesticides, and antibiotics. They are also fattier than wild-caught, and therefore store more of the bad stuff in their bodies.
Alternatives – Eat wild-caught salmon or augment your diet with a purified fish oil supplement.
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7. Artificial sweeteners
Most artificial sweeteners are produced by a chemical process, and there isn’t enough data to really deem them safe. Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners cause the toxin DKP to build up in the body and potentially cause brain tumors.
Alternatives – If you must use sweetener, choose plant-based Stevia. Certain recipes can also substitute applesauce for sweetener.
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8. Refined white flour
The refining process strips away all nutritional value from the original wheat. Even worse, the flour is then bleached with chlorine gas to achieve that appealing white color. White flour is a carbohydrate that breaks down into simple sugar, cancer’s preferred fuel.
Alternatives – Choose unbleached, whole wheat flour for your cooking, and read labels carefully to determine how much of the white stuff is in packaged products.
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9. Non-organic fruits & vegetables
The fruits and veggies themselves are extremely healthy, but the pesticides sprayed on them are anything but. Atrazine, for example, is a weed-killer that has been banned in Europe for causing severe problems in humans, but is still commonly used in the U.S.
Alternatives – Buy organic as much as you can, and carefully wash all produce before eating.
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10. Processed meat
This includes things like bacon, hot dogs, sausage, and deli meats. The processing often adds huge amounts of salt as well as dangerous chemicals, especially nitrate and nitrite. The additives are intended to make the food look nicer and last longer, but carry a steep risk to your health.
Alternatives – Eat mostly fresh, organic meats and look for other products with minimal processing and no preservatives.
