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10 Cancer-causing Foods You Should Avoid

There is strong evidence that eating a healthful diet can lower cancer risk. Likewise, there are certain foods that can increase your cancer risk.

Cancer By Himanshu SharmaApr 01, 2015

Cancer-causing Foods

We might not always realize that foods can increase our risk of many conditions and diseases, including cancer. When you think you may be doing the right thing for your health, you may actually be mistakenly eating some of the worst cancer-causing foods.

White Flour

White flour is one of the big culprits that increase the cancer risk. Chemically-bleaching flour with chlorine gas not only takes away all the healthy nutrients but also contains a high glycemic rate. The spike in blood sugar and insulin levels can lead to cancerous tumors.

Hydrogenated Oils

Hydrogenated oils cannot be naturally extracted like olive oil, soy or canola oil. During the removal process, they might pick up the chemicals. This is the reason why hydrogenated oils are linked to cancer, birth defects, heart disease and many other fatalities.

Refined Sugar

Refined sugars cause spike in insulin levels which in turn promotes cancer growth. One of the worst offenders, high-fructose corn syrup, can be found in any sweet you can think of. If you are addicted to sugary treats, your risk of cancer is quite high.

Potato Chips

Every time you are hungry, we reach out for crispy potato chips. Not only does the fatty food cause weight gain owing to high trans-fat content, but it also puts you at cancer risk owing to the presence of acrymalide (a known carcinogen found in cigarettes).

Soft Drinks

Be it soft drinks, soda or pop, they are detrimental to your health! These contain sugar in excess and artificial ingredients which put you at risk of medical conditions. Studies have shown that only drinking two sodas per week nearly doubles the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are chosen for a healthy purpose but are actually doing way more damage to the body. These inhibit the body’s ability to monitor its daily calorie consumption, making us crave sweets even more. Moreover, these can produce cancer-causing chemicals, especially brain tumors.

Microwave Popcorn

Sure it’s a quick snack but it ups the risk of liver, testicular and pancreatic cancer. The microwaved popcorn bags you have in your cabinet are linked to carcinogenic chemicals.

Red Meat

Red meat is healthful, but only in small doses. Eating red meat all the time increases the risk of developing deadly cancers, particularly colon cancer. So, enjoy your red meat meal now and then, but don’t make it an everyday thing.

Processed Meat

Processed meats can inflict damage to our health in many ways owing to their excessive salt and chemical content. Most processed meats are loaded with preservatives to make them look fresh, but they are actually carcinogens.


Alcohol is one of the leading causes of cancer worldwide. Excessive drinking is associated with many life-threatening conditions such as heart failure, stroke, and sudden death. It can also cause cancer of the mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum and breast. You don’t need to give up your glass of wine, but sticking to one is a healthy choice.


