Experts Issue Urgent Warning To Stop Eating These 30 Cancer Causing Foods Right Away
Every year, almost 10 million people die from cancer. In response, scientists have explored which diets contribute to the disease. Their research has raised questions such as how often we can eat these foods and whether or not we should avoid them.
Although some headlines may imply "avoid these foods," the truth is far more complicated. Some carcinogens come from the packaging, not the food itself. Other foods have no effect unless you eat incredible amounts. Still, some foods pose a risk. Here is the research-backed, expert-confirmed truth behind cancer-causing foods and drinks.
Too Much Sugar
Because sugar feeds every cell in the body, it's imperative to a healthy diet. This fact led to the assumption that eating less sugar "starves cancer." While that has some truth, sugar alone won't cause cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research asserts that there is "an indirect link" between indulging on candy and getting cancer.
Yet, over-indulging on sugar may result in obesity, which is a cancer risk. The CEO of Cancer Council Australia, Professor Sanchia Aranda, announced that at least three percent of cancers stem from obesity. Too much sugar may increase the risk for ten different cancers, including breast, bowel, and liver cancer.
Scorching Hot Drinks
If you're someone who loves their coffee or tea scorching hot, we have bad news for you. In the International Journal of Cancer, one study tracked over 50,000 tea drinkers for ten years. Those who drank their tea at 140°F (60°C) were 90% more likely to develop esophageal cancer.
In 2018, a Chinese study backed up these findings. However, they noted that the odds were far higher with those who also drank or smoked. In Asia, South America, and Africa, tea is served much hotter than in other countries. If you let your drinks cool or add milk, you're in the clear.
Microwaveable Popcorn
In the late 2010s, article headlines announced that popcorn could cause cancer. While nothing inside popcorn poses a cancer risk, the lining inside the microwavable bag does. Research in 2013 found that these bags contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical that encouraged pancreatic, testicular, and liver cancer in animal studies.
But will eating the popcorn spread PFOA? According to a 2019 study in Environmental Health Perspectives, participants who ate this popcorn had PFOA in their blood. It can remain there for three to five years. To avoid the chemical, cook homemade popcorn.
Vegetable Oils
Vegetable oils--including corn, sunflower, palm, and soybean oils--may not be the healthiest options to cook with. In 2015, researchers found that heating these oils release aldehydes, a chemical linked to many cancers. Moreover, frying foods in these oils resulted in 100 to 200 times the aldehyde amount recommended by the National Health Society.
In 2019, scientists from the University of Massachusetts conducted a similar study with mice. When they fried food in canola oil, they found that it enhanced tumor growth, worsened inflammation, and posed a risk for colon cancer. Choose healthier oils such as coconut and olive oil.
Soda
Many health experts have warned against sugary drinks--especially soda--for years. But in July 2019, French researchers reported that drinking four ounces of soda per day raises a person's risk of cancer by 18%. An average can of soda contains 12 ounces.
A spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, Colleen Doyle, stated that obesity is a known risk factor for cancer. Drinks with 5% sugar or more are connected to both obesity and cancer. Fortunately, artificially sweetened "zero sugar" sodas do not pose the same threat.
Eggs
Do eggs increase the risk of ovarian cancer? That's what many headlines asked after a 2015 study in Clinical Nutrition. The reasons for these findings are still widely debated. Research in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention concluded that the results did not have to do with cholesterol--which is what many people assumed.
Plus, the number of eggs eaten for this study was unusually high. According to the Washington Post, most Americans eat less than one egg per day on average. During the 1990s, one study featured a woman who ate 25 eggs every day and had no negative health effects.
Pickles
In South Korea and Japan, stomach cancer rates are unusually high. Scientists have blamed their diet of fermented foods, including pickles. In 2012, a review of 78 studies found a strong connection between eating pickled foods and stomach cancer. According to the British Journal of Cancer, at least 34 studies have found a link between pickled foods and esophageal cancer.
The high salt and acid content in pickles are to blame. However, the World Health Organization has clarified that some countries pickle vegetables differently. Nonfermented, acidified cucumbers pose a risk; slowly fermented pickles don't.
Banned Artificial Flavors
In 2018, the FDA banned seven artificial flavors. This decision stemmed from a study by the US Department of Health's study on these flavors. Through two animal tests, the researchers determined that these additives could cause cancer in high amounts. Scientists found the flavors in ice cream, candy, carbonated drinks, gum, and baked goods.
Because these flavors have already been banned, there is little need to worry about them nowadays. And despite the FDA's ruling, they agree that most artificial flavors will not harm people in their recommended doses. If you limit these flavors, you should be safe.
Processed Meats
In 2015, the World Health Organization cautioned that processed meats (salted, cured, fermented, or smoked) might increase the risk of cancer. This claim was well-backed by science. Research from that year found that eating 50 grams of processed meat per day raises the chances of colorectal cancer by 18%.
Processed red meat poses the most risk, and 3% of all cancers are linked to it, according to Cancer Research UK. Still, experts say that this is a reason to limit processed meat, not cut it out. The occasional hamburger shouldn't hurt you.
Juice
Sure, juice contains fruit, but that doesn't make it healthier than soda. In 2019, a study in The BMJ reported that even 100% real fruit juice is "significantly associated with the risk of overall cancer." Although juices are a bit better than soda due to their vitamins and fiber, their high sugar content still poses a risk.
Dr. Mathilde Touvier, who lead the research, recommends consuming less than one cup of juice per day. He added that, despite fruit juice's healthy reputation, participants also suffered from type 2 diabetes and obesity, which are risk factors for cancer.
Bagels
In 2016, researchers from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, compared thousands of lung cancer patients to those without lung cancer. While looking into their diets, they pinpointed high-glycemic foods--ones that are starchy and sugary, such as bagels. Those who frequently ate high-glycemic foods were 49% more likely to develop lung cancer.
Although the study included non-smokers, it did not take into account other conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease. One of the researchers, Dr. Xifeng Wu, added that smoking is still more harmful than carbs. If there's a takeaway, it's this: diet has little impact on lung cancer as a whole.
BPA Canned Food
Despite health advocates fighting against bisphenol A (BPA) in canned foods, the trend continues. In animal studies, BPA has been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers, especially breast cancer. In 2017, research from the Center for Environmental Health noted that 40% of canned foods still contain BPA.
Although the FDA has wavered on its stance on BPA, many scientists assert that even small amounts can be harmful. "We believe there is no safe dose of BPA," says Lynn Ladbrook, the chief executive of Breast Cancer UK. That's reason enough to find BPA-free canned foods.
Charred Meat
Do grilled meats pose a cancer risk? The research says: possibly. According to the National Capital Poison Center, studies have found that when fat drips onto coals, it produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These may alter a person's DNA and have been linked to skin, bladder, and lung cancer.
Most studies were laboratory-confined until 2016 when a study in Analytical Chemistry connected heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) from cooked meat to prostate cancer in humans. However, the risk is still small. According to biochemical toxicologist Robert Turesky, you can avoid the risk by grilling less often and cutting off the charred bits.
Margarine
In recent years, margarine has come under fire for its high trans fat content. But in 2018, a Hong Kong study revealed a deadlier ingredient in margarine. Two "possibly carcinogenic" compounds, 3-MCPD and glycidol, form from heating vegetable oils in high temperatures. These compounds may mess with DNA and cause liver problems.
Fortunately, these chemicals appeared in small amounts during animal testing. The European Food Safety Authority stated that you would have to eat 24 spoons of margarine to receive negative effects. As with all foods, eat margarine in moderation.
Milk
Yes, milk is healthy. But consuming high intakes of dairy products has been linked to cancer, because of milk's hormone and fat content. For instance, a review of 32 studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition connected a high amount of dairy to prostate cancer. This was backed by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Prostate isn't the only cancer influenced by dairy. In 2014, researchers followed over 22,000 lactose intolerant individuals to record dairy's impact on health. They reported that lactose-intolerant people have a lower chance of contracting breast, lung, and ovarian cancers. You don't have to remove milk from your diet, but don't overdo it, either.
Toast
If you like crispy toast, you're not alone. But the Food Standards Agency advises against toasting your bread for too long. Why? It's because it produces the same chemical as frying potatoes: acrylamide. The carcinogenic chemical appears when sugary starches are cooked rapidly at high temperatures.
However, experts debate over whether acrylamide is enough to pose a huge danger. David Spiegelhalter, a professor at Cambridge University, said that you would have to eat 160 times more bread than the mice in studies to have a high risk.
French Fries
In the early 2000s, french fry companies ran into several lawsuits. That's because researchers found the chemical acrylamide, which promoted cancer in animals. This research was backed up in a 2019 study published in Genome Research. During that study, 30% of the tumors analyzed linked back to acrylamide.
Although acrylamide has been known for a long time, some students did not find the link between that and cancer. Kathryn Wilson, an epidemiologist at Harvard, told NPR that acrylamide does not need to be a priority in health. And it's certainly not the least healthy part of french fries.
Corn
In 2012, a study came out that claimed genetically modified corn could promote cancer, and it was quickly retracted by the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology. Why? Because the study itself was flawed. According to Scientific American, the data was incorrectly written, some numbers were faked, and there was a clear bias from the authors.
Still, the study raised questions over whether corn carries carcinogens. In 2018, research from UNAM's Biology Institute noted that processed corn--usually found in tortillas--might have carcinogens. In particular, Mexico's corn contained some aflatoxins, which appears in some cancer tumors. The scientists claimed that eating antioxidant-rich food can counter this effect.
White Bread
Beyond the acrylamide, there's another risk of eating too much bread. In particular, white bread contains sugars and starches that inflame the body. According to 2006 research in the International Journal of Cancer, eating five slices per day doubles a person's chances of kidney cancer.
White bread has demonstrated a higher risk than most other processed grains. In 2013, a study in Annals of Oncology noted that eating white bread poses a higher risk of colorectal cancer than pasta. That's another reason to swap white bread with wheat.
Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods, such as instant ramen and chicken nuggets, have contributed to obesity for decades. But in 2018, researchers found another risk in these foods other than their nutritional value. In The BMJ, a study reported that high amounts of processed food result in a 12% greater chance of ovarian and breast cancer.
Analyzed foods included packaged baked foods, processed meatballs, and frozen meals. Less-processed foods like pasta and cheese did not have this effect. French researcher and lead author Bernard Srour added that eating fresh foods lowers your risk of cancer.
Farm-Raised Salmon
Farm-raised salmon may have a great taste, but it could contain toxins. In 2004, researchers examined farm-raised salmon around the world and found several pollutants on the fish's skin. According to the study, these pollutants could be so carcinogenic that the authors don't recommend eating farm-raised salmon more than once a month.
The study backed up earlier research by the Environmental Working Group. However, the FDA and other experts have argued that these findings were overestimated. A Harvard specialist of nutrition, Eric Rimm, believes that there is not enough evidence to give up farm-raised salmon altogether.
Salt--Or Rather, High-Salt Foods
Adding some salt to your mashed potatoes won't heighten your cancer risk. But eating many foods preserved with salt may. After a review of almost 100 studies, the World Journal of Gastroenterology reported that high-salt diets raise the chances of stomach cancer. The salt damages the stomach lining and creates lesions that could grow into cancer.
The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting your salt intake to six grams per day. Since most salt comes from preserved and processed foods, search for "no salt" or "low-salt" varieties at the store.
Red Meat
The discussion about red meat and cancer is more complicated than some people think. For years, headlines have warned people about the risks of eating red meat. The World Health Organization labeled red meat as a Group 2a carcinogen, meaning that it's possibly carcinogenic. However, it depends on how you cook the meat.
In September 2019, new findings began to question this classification. Research in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that the benefits of limiting red meat are small--so small that they could only be found in large populations. Overall, there is still a risk to red meat, but it's far smaller than processed meat.
Some Peanuts
Like popcorn, peanuts' carcinogens come from the packaging, not the food itself. According to the National Cancer Institute, some peanut molds support the growth of aflatoxins, fungi that form around certain crops. Aflatoxins are associated with a heightened risk of liver cancer.
But what happens when you consume peanuts without aflatoxin? Throughout a 30-year study, researchers determined that eating a handful of peanuts every day may lower the chances of cancer. In a contradictory 2014 study, scientists found a link between peanut agglutinin (PNA) and the group of breast cancer in animal studies.
Some Salted Fish
In Asia, salted fish is one of the most popular salt-infused foods out there. In 2019, researchers published their findings on Chinese-style salted fish. While steaming the fish, N-nitroso compounds formed, which were linked to nasopharyngeal cancer.
The study only found a risk in adolescents eating a high amount of salted fish, not adults. And according to the American Society for Nutrition, the carcinogens only appear in certain salting methods. Further tests need to be done on other types of salted fish around the world.
Potato Chips
In 2008, potato chip companies agreed to pay $3 million to reduce acrylamide in their chips. Because acrylamide is a toxin also found in cigarette smoke, Attorney General Jerry Brown called the settlement "a victory for public health." Unfortunately, not all chips today are acrylamide-free.
Brown, crispy chips are more likely to contain acrylamide. If you enjoy those, you may want to consider the trade-off, says Cancer Research UK staff member Emma Shields. Those who maintain a healthy, balanced diet (with limited chips) are less likely to develop acrylamide-related cancer.
Possibly Coffee
The relationship between coffee and cancer is still undetermined. Currently, the National Toxicity Program states that coffee is "reasonably anticipated" to be a carcinogen. During the coffee roasting process, scientists have located acrylamide. But according to the American Cancer Society researcher, Susan Gapstur, research does not back up coffee's negative effects.
In 2016, scientists at the World Health Organization reviewed over 1,000 studies on coffee. They did not link coffee to cancer; in fact, drinking coffee reduced the likelihood of liver, prostate, and endometrial cancers. In short, there's no reason to fear coffee yet.
Happy Hour
You won't get cancer from enjoying an occasional drink. But drinking heavily every day could raise your chances of six different cancers: esophageal, larynx, mouth and throat, colon and rectum, breast, and liver. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the chemical acetaldehyde damages DNA and prevents it from repairing normally, encouraging cancer cells.
The American Cancer Society recommends a limit of two drinks a day for men and one for women. However, a 2019 study published in the journal CANCER noted that even light drinking could influence the risk. Even one serving per day slightly raised the risk in this research.
Tarragon
For decades, scientists have scratched their heads over a carcinogen in tarragon. Initially, the European Union's Health & Consumer Protection located a harmful carcinogen in tarragon. However, the researchers isolated the ingredient instead of testing it in the herb itself.
In 2013, research in Food and Chemical Toxicology analyzed the whole herb. Scientists discovered that the herb does not hurt human liver cells, but the isolated carcinogen does. Still, too much tarragon may result in DNA warping, said the researchers. If you limit the use of the herb, you should be fine.
Some Artificial Sweeteners
Over the years, some ingredients in artificial sweeteners have become concerning. According to the National Cancer Institute, animal studies showed that the ingredient saccharin might promote bladder cancer. In 2005, another animal study noted that the ingredient aspartame encouraged leukemia and lymphoma in rats.
Other studies could not replicate these results, according to the Cancer Council. Plus, these tests used high amounts of the ingredients--far higher than artificial sweeteners use. Both the FDA and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand claim that artificial sweeteners are safe to eat.
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