Danger! 6 Everyday foods that could cause cancer –
#5 is surprising!
By ATW Nutrition Coaching
Last week was a big one in the food and diet industry, as a report linking processed meats and red meat with cancer came into the public domain.
While this is by no means shocking to anyone in the nutrition business - the animal agriculture industry has been hiding things like this from you for years now - it took many 'normal' people by surprise.
No-one wants to get a potentially terminal disease, and most of these - like most of the cancers - are NOT genetically linked. They have to do largely with diet and lifestyle.
We think they are genetically linked, because most of us eat and live the way our parents do, in a similar environment, so we are predisposed to the same ailments too.
Here are six more foods you should throw away immediately (or at least reduce consumption significantly) if you want to lower your risk of getting seriously ill.
- 1.Sodas
Sugar-filled, bubbly, liquid chemicals... That's what you're really drinking when you knock back your favourite brand of soda.
The sugar is bad enough - you'll get a push towards insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome with every gulp. Never mind the reflux that could cause all sorts of problems and the fact that sugar aggravates ulcers.
The chemicals are really the bigger problem, though. Artificial colourings and a food chemical called derivative 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) have long been linked to cancer.
Think about that the next time you ask for a soda with your meal. Have some water, wine, tea or coffee instead.
- 2.Artificial sweeteners
Those little packets of white powder, and the 'sugar-free' foods and drinks that you think are healthier than sugar?
Not so much... Artificial sweeteners are CHEMICALS and they are not good for you. They don't help with weight loss and they don't help people with diabetes.
These sweeteners break down in the body to form a toxin called DKP. When your body breaks down DKP it produces chemicals that cause cancer, especially brain tumours.
- 3.'Diet', 'low-fat' or 'sugar-free' processed foods
Apart from many of these foods being filled with artificial sweeteners (see #2) they are also often over-salted to give a better taste, filled with weird chemicals and super-refined ingredients and made ‘appealing’ with artificial flavourings and colourants.
Never mind that these foods have the seal of approval from some health association or other. There's money changing hands here.
- 4.Alcohol
While a moderate consumption of alcohol may not be unhealthy and may reduce the risk of heart disease, excessive drinking is linked to heart failure, stroke and sudden death.
In 2007, experts working for the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer looked at the research regarding cancer and alcohol use from various studies.
They found enough good evidence to state that excessive alcohol use is the main cause of mouth, oesophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum and female breast cancers.
Don't worry, you can still enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but just one.
- 5.Farmed fish
Everyone thinks fish is one of the healthiest foods to eat. And while that may be true of the real fish caught by a fisherman in the ocean, it certainly is NOT true of farmed fish.
You see, farmed fish is fed all sorts of chemicals including antibiotics, pesticides and other known carcinogens, because otherwise they don't look and taste 'right' due to their unhealthy, unnatural living conditions - plus it's cheaper than feeding them real food.
They have less omega-3 fatty acids because of this chemical-laden diet, AND they contain high levels of PCB, mercury and dioxins. (Raw seeds contains these fatty acids, PLUS fibre, and none of the harmful substances.)
The moral of the story is this: only eat wild-caught fish.
- 6.Potato chips
Potato chips are high in both fat and calories, which are sure to bring on weight gain. They are also full of trans-fats which can cause high cholesterol in most people, and they have excessive sodium levels which cause high blood pressure.
Potato chips include numerous chemicals - artificial flavours, preservatives and artificial colourants - as well as the extremely harmful TBHQ preservative in the fats/oils used. The chips are fried at high temperatures to make them crispy, but this also creates acrylamide, a known carcinogen that is also found in cigarettes.
A great alternative to chips is to buy baked potato chips or tortilla chips which are at least lower in both fat and calories.