Proven: 4 foods that cause cancer: February 4 was World Cancer Day. You are what you eat. One of the ways to prevent cancer is a healthy diet. We name four types of food that are best eaten as rarely as possible.

Cancer is the most common cause of death in the Western world after cardiovascular disorders. The risk of cancer depends on many factors, and our lifestyle, in particular diet, plays an important role. We constantly hear that certain foods ‘increase the risk of cancer.’ But what do experts say about this? This is what experts consider truly harmful.

1. Red meat, processed meats and processed foods: ‘Red meat is considered to be beef, veal, pork and lamb. Processed – salted, smoked, fermented. Sausages, sausages, ham and bacon and other processed meats are also processed meats, explains nutritionist and psychotherapist Cathy Leman.

Multiple studies support a link between high consumption of red meat and processed meats and cancer risk (1). What is considered a high level of consumption? The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends eating no more than 350 to 500 grams of red meat per week.

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Processed meat products are even more dangerous. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the World Health Organization classifies them as Group 1 carcinogens the most dangerous.

Group 1 also includes alcohol, tobacco, ultraviolet radiation and penetrating radiation). Red meat (unprocessed) belongs to the 2nd group of carcinogens (potentially dangerous). IARC experts say that eating just 50 grams of processed meat products per day increases the risk of cancer by 18%. This is approximately what is contained in four strips of bacon or one sausage.

But why are these meat products and processed foods so dangerous? Most likely, the fact is that they contain mutagenic substances (damaging DNA) and carcinogens. In particular, when meat is cooked at high temperatures or grilled, the amino acids it contains are converted under the influence of heat into carcinogens, heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

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Preservatives used in processed meats (nitrates and nitrites) may also increase the risk of cancer. Carcinogens are also formed during the smoking process.

2. Sugar: At the beginning of the last century, German biochemist and physiologist Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells mainly feed on glucose (sugar). This phenomenon was called the Warburg effect. Theoretically, reducing the intake of sugar and carbohydrates, which turn into sugar when digested, could slow the growth of cancer cells.

Some nutritionists suggest that a ketogenic diet, in which less than 10% of total calories consumed comes from carbohydrates and more than 70% from fats, may be useful in the fight against cancer. But the benefits of the keto diet for fighting tumors have not yet been sufficiently studied.

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However, consuming a lot of sugar may increase your risk of cancer. ‘Any foods with a high glycemic index may increase the risk of cancer and should therefore be limited,’ warns oncologist Dr. Adil Akhtar. The glycemic index of a food shows how much your blood sugar levels rise after eating it.

3. Alcohol: Alcoholic drinks are known to increase the risk of cancer of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colon, breast, and pancreas.

The mechanisms of this risk are not fully understood. ‘We hypothesize that the increased risk of cancer is associated with damage to the DNA of cells under the influence of acetaldehyde, which is formed in the liver during the breakdown of alcohol.

‘Alcoholic beverages increase the risk of cancer not only directly, but also indirectly – they are high in calories and contribute to obesity, which is itself an important risk factor,’ explains oncologist researcher Jeanette Schenk. 

‘If you’re concerned about your risk of cancer, it’s best to avoid drinking alcohol,’ recommends Kathy Lehman. If you are not ready to completely give up alcoholic beverages, try not to exceed the recommended consumption levels: no more than 300 ml of wine or 900 ml of beer per day for men and 200 ml of wine or 600 ml of beer for women (if alcohol is not consumed every day) (4 ).

4. Fast food, semi-finished products, instant products: Many highly processed foods can be unhealthy. Sometimes even their packaging is dangerous. ‘For example, packages of microwave popcorn are often laced with potentially carcinogenic substances,’ explains Adeel Akhtar.

In 2018, British doctors conducted a large-scale study, which found that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods increases the risk of cancer (increasing the proportion of such products in our diet by 10% on average increases the risk of cancer by 12%). What are ultra-processed ‘foods?

Here’s what scientists classify into this category:

• Ready baked goods
• Packaged sweet and salty snacks (candy bars, potato chips, etc.)
• Ready-made confectionery and desserts
• Carbonated drinks and drinks with high sugar content
• Chicken and fish nuggets
• Instant noodles and soup
• Ready-made frozen instant meals

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