Malignant tumour or cancer as it is widely known is the dreaded word that often is associated with imminent, painful death. Uncontrollable growths of cells which then invade other healthy cells make this disease life threatening. There are some things that we can avoid to protect ourselves from this deadly disease. One of the keys to combat cancer is to identify carcinogens which are cancer promoters. Carcinogens are present in certain types of food commonly available to us. Here’s a list of some of the top sources of carcinogens in our food.
1. Processed meat
Processed meat is any meat that is cured, salted, smoked or preserved with nitrate. Hot dogs are just one example of processed meat which almost always is high in fat and salt. Preservatives used in hot dogs contain carcinogens that may cause our DNA to mutate thus putting us at higher risk for cancer.
2. Doughnuts
Cancer cells thrive on sugar which is mainly found in sugary snacks like doughnuts. Food that contains refined sugar like white rice, white breads need to be avoided because they can promote cancer tumours to develop. Opt instead for food labelled as low-glycemic for a healthier option.
3. French Fries
As yummy as they taste, French fries are prepared and cooked in hydrogenated oil which is another cancer contributing factor. Deep fried at high temperature, French fries contain very little nutritional value. More importantly, they contain trans-fat which increases the risk for heart disease.
4. Chips, crackers and cookies
White flour and sugar are commonly the basic ingredients used in most chips, crackers and cookies sold on the market today. These processed foods are high in sugar and low in nutrition. Similar to doughnuts, snacks like biscuits and chips act as cancer promoters which need to be avoided as much as possible.
Staying off the items in the list above may not be as easy as you think. It’s going to take me a whole lot of determination and will to steer away from those deep fried potato sticks French fries but then old eating habits die hard. It is going to take time like everything else. Changing your eating habits and lifestyle is indeed a lifelong commitment towards a healthy you!