Cancer experts and dieticians have revealed the foods that can increase your risk of cancer – and what you should avoid to cut your chances of developing the disease.
There are around 375,000 new cancer cases in the UK every year, that’s around 1,000 every day, according to Cancer Research UK.
While it’s impossible to avoid every carcinogen – substances that up your chances of getting cancer – experts suggest you can lower your cancer risk by eliminating certain items from your diet.
Experts have warned that chemicals in meats, alcohol, and excessive sugar and fat consumption can heighten the risk of bowel, breast and liver cancer.
Here is the commonly eaten food that experts say to avoid:
Red meat
Similar to processed meat, people should try to steer clear of steak, burgers and lamb chops as experts warn that red meat is also on the list of foods experts say could cause cancer.
This also includes all kids of fresh, minced and frozen pork, beef and lamb.
Multiple studies have established a link between eating red meat and some types of cancer but how this happens and the precise level of the increased cancer risk, remain unclear.
It’s thought that while red meat increases the risk of colon, stomach and pancreatic cancers it’s not as big as the threat posed by processed meat.
“Red meat is not as strongly linked to colon cancer as processed meats, this means it is a 2A carcinogen, so may possibly increase risk,” Dr Duane Mellor, a British Dietetic Association (BDA) spokesperson, told Daily Mail.
Matthew Lambert, nutritionist at World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) added: “Researchers are still investigating how red meat causes cancer. One possible way involves a compound called haem, which contains iron and gives red meat its colour.
“Haem can trigger the formation of cancer-causing compounds which have been shown to damage the lining of the bowel, which may then increase bowel cancer risk.”
The charity also points out that heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic amines (PCAs), which can damage cells in the bowel, are produced when red meat is cooked at high temperatures, such as grilling and barbequing.
Like processed meat, the NHS recommends limiting red meat intake to 70g per day to balance its benefits against potential risks.
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