Cancerous Food we Keep on Craving…

The expression “you are what you eat” is very true. Most of us reach for snacks throughout the day yet many of these are actually not so good …

Avoid

Fries and crisps: Potato side dishes, French Fries, crisps or hash browns are popular side dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Just one small serving of some popular potato products contain 8 to11 grams of total fat, around 3 grams of saturated fat, 390 to 540 milligrams of sodium, and about 160-190 calories. And many potato lovers eat double this amount in one serving.

Your best bet is to eat unprocessed potatoes, such as baked potatoes or roasted red potatoes, because they give you all the nutrients of potatoes without added fat, saturated fat, or sodium. If you use frozen French Fries, the steak fries are often the lowest-fat option, but check the label to be sure.

Processed meat: Meats preserved by smoking, curing, or salting, or those containing chemical preservatives, are linked to an increased risk of colon cancer. These products also tend to have lots of salt, fat, and cholesterol, and very few nutrients, like fiber. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has recently recommended that people avoid eating processed meat. These include salami, pepperoni, pastrami, hotdogs, ham, bacon and some sausages and burgers.

It is recommended that children are not given processed meats at all. This is because many of the habits we develop as children last into adulthood. Substitutes for processed meats that are recommended for children include poultry or fish, low-fat cheese or small amounts of lean meat.

Fried foodThese foods are high in fat and saturated fat, contain too much salt, and are oftenfull of preservatives, dyes, and other items that do not contribute to good health. These foods contain a lot of calories and they do not provide the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that we know to help reduce risk of cancer and many other diseases. For all of these reasons, these foods should be an occasional treat, not a regular part of your eating habits.

Try to avoid fried appetizers; opt for fresh veggies instead.

Sweetened beverages: This is one not many people are aware of. Sweetened beverages are one of the most common cancer causing foods. These beverages, juices and sodas are high in refined sugar content. Although this sugar content does not directly convert healthy cells into cancerous ones, it is the preferred source of food for those cancerous cells. The sugar also indirectly helps growth of the tumor during its formation process. Heavy sugar consumption over a period of time also triggers a rise in the cells’ overall metabolic output, which increases the amount of oxidative by-products released into their system.

Chugging soda is one of the easiest ways to pack on the pounds (the average soda can contains 10 teaspoons of sugar). But drinking as few as two soft drinks a week can nearly double a person’s risk of getting pancreatic cancer, too. Want more bad news? Consuming more than 2.5 sugary sodas per day significantly increases your risk of death from cardiovascular disease as well as your risk of developing diabetes.Go for fresh juices instead.

Pickles: They are very popular here in Egypt. Pickles are high in sodium which can increase the risk for stomach cancer. The evidence is not very conclusive but it is advised to limit your consumption of pickles.

Fats, fats, fats: A high-fat diet may lead to obesity, which is a risk factor for several cancers including cancer of the colon, breast, kidney, oesophagus, gallbladder and endometrium.Try and cook food using little fat. Avoid that rich omelet made with a huge dollop of butter with melted cheese on top.

While nothing can be completely avoided, moderation in consumption will help in more than just a few ways. Most cancer causing foods have excessive amounts of refined sugars, preservatives, by-products of deep frying and most importantly processed carbohydrates. These cancer causing foods affect the nervous, cardiovascular and reproductive systems of the human body. They can also lead to diabetes, heart disease and morbid obesity. Understanding these foods and moderate consumption will go a long way in preventing cancer.

 

Powered by CanSurvive, one of Egypt’s leading non-governmental organizations for cancer patients and survivors.

 

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