While it’s not possible to avoid all carcinogens, experts say you can reduce your risk of cancer by cutting some things out of your diet. Certain chemicals added to meat to extend its shelf life, as well as alcohol, excessive sugar and fat consumption can increase the risk of bowel, breast and liver cancer, according to the Daily Mail.
Preserved and processed meat
First of all, experts say, you should give up the classic skewers and trays with sausages. Sausages, ham, bacon, salami, chorizo, ham, sausages are all examples of processed meat, one of the foods known to be not good at all for health.
Processed meat is any meat that has been treated to increase its shelf life or to make it taste better. This is often done by adding chemical preservatives such as nitrates.
When eaten, nitrates can undergo a reaction that turns them into a substance that can damage the cells lining the gut, which in turn can lead to cancer, explains Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified processed meat as a “class one carcinogen”, in the same category as smoking and alcohol. This does not mean that it is as carcinogenic as these substances, but that the evidence that processed meat can cause cancer is as strong as that of alcohol and smoking.
“The risk of cancer in the case of processed meat consumption is quite modest. (…) The risk of 18% for every extra 50g of ham or sausage seems high, but in 1,000 people it could represent two extra cases of colon cancer in those who consume processed red meat”, explained Dr Duane Mellor, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA).
But the risk is still there, so experts recommend that people who eat a lot of red and processed meat cut back to 70g or less a day, which is the equivalent of three slices of ham, two slices of bacon or a small beef burger.
alcohol
Regardless of your drink of choice, drinking any form of beer, wine or spirits increases your risk of mouth, throat, larynx, oesophagus, breast, liver and bowel cancer.
Matthew Lambert, nutritionist and manager of information and health promotion at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), said that abstinence from alcohol has massive benefits in reducing the risk of cancer.
a bottle of wine is equivalent to 10 cigarettes, archive photo
“Alcohol consumption has no health benefits. We have strong scientific evidence that all types of alcoholic beverages are a cause of at least six types of cancer, including breast and bowel. Since even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, we recommend that you do not drink any alcohol at all. For some types of cancer, alcohol is particularly harmful if you also smoke,” said Matthew Lambert.
When absorbed into the body, alcohol damages cells and prevents them from repairing damage in general. It can also affect chemical signals, and this can make cells more likely to divide and therefore increase the initial chances of cancer.
In fact, a statistical analysis published in BMC Public Health in 2019 suggests that, in terms of cancer risk, drinking a bottle of wine a week is equivalent to smoking up to 10 cigarettes over the same period.
Although in theory it is recommended to give up alcohol altogether, experts say that, if this is not possible, at least alcohol consumption should be reduced as much as possible.
Red meat
Experts warn that red meat is also on the list of foods that could cause cancer. This included fresh, minced and frozen pork, beef and lamb.
Several studies have established a link between the consumption of red meat and some types of cancer, but have not been able to establish exactly what red meat might be a carcinogenic factor, nor how high or low the risk of cancer is .
Although red meat is thought to increase the risk of colon, stomach and pancreatic cancer, it is not as high as that of processed meat, but nutritionists and cancer experts say more research is needed to establish with certainty this.
While they recommend cutting down on red meat to lower your risk of cancer, nutritionists stress that it’s important to make sure we’re still getting the right nutrients. This is because meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12, vital for nerve function and for the production of DNA in cells.
Red meat also provides our body with iron, which is important for the production of red blood cells, zinc, which helps the body produce new cells and heal wounds, and other B vitamins, which help the body obtain energy from food.
However, you can get most of these nutrients from vegetable sources: legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables, etc. As with processed meat, red meat consumption should be limited to 70 g per day.
Sweets and fast food
It should come as no surprise that sweets and fast food are on the list of foods cancer experts suggest you avoid.
“We advise people to eat less highly processed foods high in saturated fat, sugar and salt. These include foods such as cakes, biscuits, pastries, crisps, sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food such as pizza and burgers. These types of foods have no fiber and contain virtually no essential nutrients, and should only be eaten occasionally and in small amounts.” say the specialists.
Sugary and fried foods were not directly linked to an increased risk of cancer. Instead, the increased risk is because, more often than not, excessive consumption of these foods easily leads to weight gain and, by extension, obesity. And obesity is one of the important causes of the risk of developing at least 13 types of cancer.
According to CRUK, being overweight causes your body to increase growth hormone levels, which causes cells to divide more often. Each of these additional divisions represents another potential chance for cancer cells.
Another factor that increases the risk is that immune cells are attracted to areas of the body where there are many fat cells. This can then cause a spike in inflammation in these areas, which causes cells to divide faster, again increasing the risk of cancer.
“People should try to eat more nutrient-dense foods, eating at least five servings of different fruits and vegetables each day, choosing whole-grain versions of foods, legumes such as beans and lentils, and nuts and seeds unsalted. These types of food are important to reduce the risk of intestinal cancer”, the cancer specialists also said.
What you can eat
– Eat at least 5 servings of varied fruits and vegetables every day. They can be fresh, frozen, dried and canned.
– Base your meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains.
– 30 grams of fiber per day. This is equivalent to eating the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain crackers, 2 thick slices of whole grain bread and a large baked potato with skin on.
– Consume some dairy products or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), choosing options with less fat and less sugar.
– Eat beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish each week, one of which should be fatty).
– Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat them in small amounts.
– Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day.
– Adults should consume less than 6 g of salt per day; also 20 g of saturated fat per day for women and 30 g for men.
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