Top 5 Cancer-Causing Foods

According to the American Cancer Society, there will be 1,437,180 new cases of cancer in 2008 alone (source). Scary? Yes. That's almost 4,000 new cases every single day. This alone is cause enough to look at your personal lifestyle and try to cut out cancer risks as much as possible. One of the easiest places to pinpoint is your diet: What are you eating, and how might it influence (positively or negatively) your chances of getting cancer?

In this cancer health guide, we'll show you the top five foods to avoid to decrease your risk of cancer. These are all foods of which numerous medical studies have highlighted as potentially raising your cancer risks. As usual, consult your doctor before modifying your diet. And remember: A healthy lifestyle with a balance of diet and exercise is one of the best ways to stay in optimum health!

Top 5 Cancer-Causing Foods

Cancer-Causing Food #1: Red Meat

A couple of years ago, scientists and researchers at the MRC Dunn Human Nutrition Unit and the Open University found that there was a link between a diet high in red meat diet and higher levels of DNA damage. A cancer group spokesperson told BBC News that "a third of all cancers are linked to what we eat and we must not underestimate the importance of a well-balanced diet in the prevention of bowel cancer," and that "this study certainly seems to add further weight to previous evidence about the possible link between...cancer and a high consumption of red meat" (source).

Cancer-Causing Food #2: Sugar

Earlier this year, the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH.org) found that those who had high levels of fructose had a 35% higher chance of cancer. This is reason enough to cut back on soda pop and candy, to say nothing of how sugar's empty calories are bad for your waistline.

Cancer-Causing Food #3: Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are high in sugar, which has already been linked to increasing cancer risks. Even worse, some soda pop and soft drinks contain high levels of artificial chemicals and sweeteners, some of which have been linked to cancer. For example, the Food Standards Agency in the UK found reason to warn consumers of benzene in soft drinks, saying that a closer look at soft drinks was needed (source).

Cancer-Causing Food #4: Charred Food

Food that's been burned, or charred, such as on a grill, can significantly raise your potential for cancer. Elizabeth Snyderwine of the Chemical Carcinogenesis Section of the National Cancer Institute says that certain "compounds" in charred food "probably cause cancer in humans" (source).

Cancer-Causing Food #5: Alcohol

Simply put, as the American Cancer Society says: "Drinking alcohol can cause cancer" (source). Easy as that! The ACS continues, saying that "the more alcohol a person consumes, the higher his or her risk of developing some kinds of cancer" (source). What's the ACS's starting point for "more alcohol"? For them, it's two or more drinks. To be safe, just don't drink.