Andrey Nailor, M.D.·Published 21 March 2015·12 min read
Key points
Cancer is a disease that you should never take lightly.
Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs): The rapidly growing industry of genetically modified crops are infiltrating our food supply at an alarming rate.
Popcorn is one of the world's most popular confections, frequently enjoyed in ballparks, movie theaters and at home.
Eating lots of white bread raises the risk of a cancer that kills thousands of Britons every year, according to new research.
Cancer is a disease that you should never take lightly. There are cases where it strikes quickly but often, cancer manifests after years of specific habits. Good examples of this are smoking and overexposure to ultraviolet rays, which result in lung cancer and skin cancer, respectively.
Experts estimate that more than half the cases of cancer diagnosed in the United States - more than 1.6 million in 2014 - are preventable with lifestyle changes.
There is one area of your daily life that dramatically affects your - and survival - of cancer. The food and beverages you consume, the fuel your body uses to fight disease, is critical to your overall wellbeing. Some foods are worse for you than others and could be increasing your risk of many conditions and diseases. While cancer is one of the worst, regularly eating the foods in our top ten list can also lead to heart disease, diabetes, and chronic inflammation.
Top Ten Cancer Causing Foods to Avoid
1. Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs): The rapidly growing industry of genetically modified crops are infiltrating our food supply at an alarming rate. More than 90% of our corn and soy are now genetically modified. This fairly new practice is the source of many debates. Experts agree that adequate testing was not done before GMO foods were added to the ingredient listing of thousands of products. Look for GMO-free labels whenever possible. See our exclusive report on the dangers of GMO foods.
2. Microwave Popcorn: From the chemical-lined bag to the actual contents, microwave popcorn is at the center of lung cancer debates around the world. Not only are the kernels and oil likely GMO (which the manufacturer does not have to disclose), but the fumes released contain diacetyl, which is toxic to humans.
Is microwave popcorn toxic?
Popcorn is one of the world's most popular confections, frequently enjoyed in ballparks, movie theaters and at home. Popcorn makers sell three billion bags of microwave popcorn every year [source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer]. However, some doctors and consumer groups have been concerned that a chemical used to give microwave popcorn its tasty butter flavor may pose a serious health hazard.
The chemical is called diacetyl, and it's used in the production of microwave popcorn, but it has also likely led to scores of factory workers developing a severe lung condition. Diacetyl occurs naturally in some foods, including butter and many dairy products, fruits, wine and beer. It's reportedly used in "thousands" of food products to add or increase butter flavoring [source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer].
Hundreds of factory workers have developed a condition called "popcorn lung," also known by the medical name bronchiolitis obliterans. The condition is caused by inhalation of diacetyl fumes, which cause scarring in the lungs. Sufferers of popcorn lung have difficulty exhaling, and when severe, the condition can be fatal. In many cases of severe bronchiolitis obliterans, only a lung transplant will save a patient's life. Some former popcorn factory workers died while waiting for transplants.
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
In September 2007, the murmurs of concern surrounding microwave popcorn became louder as some began to wonder whether consumers were in danger as well. The publicity, caused in part by a suspected case of popcorn lung in a consumer, led four major popcorn makers to announce that they planned to drop diacetyl. The companies - Weaver Popcorn Co., ConAgra Foods Inc., American Popcorn Company and General Mills Inc. - had, as of early September, phased out use of the chemical or claimed they would within a year. The companies differed in their reasons for dropping the chemical, but some cited consumer concerns or issues of worker health.
3. Canned Goods: Most cans are lined with a product called bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been shown to genetically alter the brain cells of rats. Many plastic goods, thermal paper, water lines, and many dental composites also contain BPA.
Risks for Consumers of Microwave Popcorn
Dr. Cecile Rose, a lung specialist at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colo., diagnosed the first case of popcorn lung in a consumer of microwave popcorn. That consumer, a man named Wayne Weston, claimed he made microwave popcorn at least twice a day for 10 to 12 years. He said that he loved the smell of buttered popcorn and would open the bag in front of his face and inhale the fumes. But over time Weston developed difficulty breathing and an incessant cough, which eventually landed him in the care of Dr. Rose, an expert on popcorn lung.
While Dr. Rose said that there's no definitive link between Watson's consumption of microwave popcorn and his illness, the connection appears strong. Tests of Watson's home revealed that when popcorn was being cooked, fume levels were comparable to those found in factories [source: MSNBC.com]. It likely didn't help that Watson placed his face directly in the path of the diacetyl-laced steam billowing from popcorn bags and did so thousands of times.
In July 2007, Dr. Rose sent a letter about her findings to government health officials, who said they would look into the case. Dr. Rose's tests showed that Watson's symptoms were consistent with popcorn lung, and after he stopped eating buttered popcorn, his lung function improved. He was able to stop taking some of his medications. He also lost 50 pounds.
Eating microwave popcorn is not believed to be harmful. The danger comes from the fumes given off in the cooking process, and consistent exposure to those fumes may be dangerous. The Food and Drug Administration has said that diacetyl is safe to consume, but some consumer rights advocates say more studies need to be done. Proposed legislation in California would ban diacetyl, and a Congresswoman from Connecticut requested that the FDA ban diacetyl until its effects are better understood.
4. Grilled Red Meat: While grilling tastes delicious, scientists have discovered that preparing meats in this way - especially processed meats like hot dogs - releases a carcinogen called heterocyclic aromatic amines. When you grill red meat to the point of well-done, it changes the chemical and molecular structure of the meat.
A new report from the Breast Cancer Fund reveals 12 canned soups and pastas found to contain BPA - an estrogen-like chemical raising concern among experts for its potential health effects in children, infants and fetuses.
Topping the list was Campbell's Disney Princess Cool Shapes with 148 parts per billion. The average level across all 12 cans was 49 parts per billion.
"The findings of this report outline the urgent need to remove BPA from food packaging - a major source of exposure to this toxic hormone disruptor - especially in foods marketed to children," the report states.
BPA, a key ingredient in hard plastics and resins used to coat metal cans, made headlines in 2008 when it was shown to leach out of plastic when heated. The Canadian government responded by banning the chemical from baby bottles. In the United States, the federal government has not followed suit, but several local governments have and leading U.S. baby bottle manufacturers went BPA-free voluntarily. But the chemical continues to line the country's cans.
"I think they're definitely right in trying to get this chemical out of canned foods," said Dr. John Spangler, professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. "We can't do anything about past exposures but we can do something about current exposures."
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5. Refined Sugar: The biggest threat is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) but even brown sugar is highly refined white sugar with some of the removed molasses added back in for flavor and color. They are the source of major insulin spikes and feed the growth of cancer cells. Since the majority of the sugar supply in the U.S. is made using genetically modified (GMO) sugar beets, a healthier option is organic honey, coconut sugar, or maple sugar.
6. Salted, Pickled, and Smoked Foods: These products typically contain preservatives, such as nitrates, which are intended to prolong shelf life. The additives used in processed foods can accumulate in your body over time. Eventually, such toxins cause damage at the cellular level and lead to diseases like cancer. When smoked foods are cooked at high temperatures, the nitrates are converted to the much more dangerous nitrites.
7. Soda and Carbonated Beverages: Sodas have been at the center of the health debate for two decades. Filled with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), dyes, and a host of other chemicals, they are very bad for your health. They provide zero nutritional value and can rob your body of the nutrients you get from other foods. Adding "diet" to the label means you’re also consuming aspartame - and that is no better than rat poison.
Pancreatic Cancer Linked to Sodas? Drinking as little as two soft drinks a week appears to nearly double the risk of getting pancreatic cancer, according to a new study.
''People who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87% increased risk -or nearly twice the risk -of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals consuming no soft drinks," says study lead author Noel T. Mueller, MPH, a research associate at the Cancer Control Program at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. The study is published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
The beverage industry took strong exception to the study, calling it flawed and pointing to other research that has found no association between soda consumption and pancreatic cancer.
Cancer of the pancreas was diagnosed in about 42,000 people in the U.S. in 2009, according to American Cancer Society estimates, and about 35,240 deaths from the disease were expected. The pancreas lies behind the stomach. It makes hormones such as insulin to balance sugar in the blood and produces juices with enzymes to help break down fats and protein in foods.
8. White Flour: When flour is refined, all nutritional value is removed and then it is bleached with chlorine gas to make it more appealing to consumers. The glycemic index for white flour is very high - meaning it spikes your insulin levels without providing nutritional fuel. Carbohydrates are converted to sugars by your body, so excessive products that contain white flour can lead to increased insulin resistance.
9. Farmed Fish: Commercial fish farming involves raising an incredible number of fish - such as salmon - in a crowded environment. 60% of the salmon consumed come from a farming operation where they are treated with antibiotics, pesticides, and other carcinogenic chemicals. They also do not contain as much omega-3 as wild salmon.
White bread increases cancer risk
Eating lots of white bread raises the risk of a cancer that kills thousands of Britons every year, according to new research.
Those who eat five slices a day are almost twice as likely to develop the most common form of kidney cancer compared to those who have one and a half slices.
Scientists put the cause down to refined cereals triggering a surge in blood sugar and insulin levels, which is thought to fuel cancer cell growth.
People should particularly cut down on white bread, which causes the biggest rise in blood glucose levels, and opt for wholemeal varieties instead.
The study also adds to the mounting evidence of the health benefits of following a low GI diet.
This involves avoiding processed and refined foods, such as white bread which have a high Glycaemic Index.
Whole grain foods are classed as having a low GI value as they lead to slower release of sugar into the blood stream.
The new study published in the International Journal of Cancer set out to investigate potential triggers of Renal Cell Carcinoma.
It accounts for more than 80 per cent of the 6,000 cases of kidney cancer diagnosed each year in the UK and claims 3,400 lives annually.
The researchers from the Institute of Pharmacological Research in Milan, Italy studied more than 2300 Italians - 767 who had the disease and 1534 who did not - and asked them detailed information about their diet in the previous two years.
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10. Hydrogenated Oils: Vegetable oils are chemically extracted from their source, then they are chemically treated, and then more chemicals are added to change the smell and taste. They are packed with unhealthy omega-6 fats and have been proven to alter the structure of our cell membranes.
Any food that is listed as "diet," "light," or "fat-free" should be avoided. In order to remove fat or natural calories, they are replaced with chemicals that are dangerous to your body. Instead of eating food that manufacturers profess is "good for you" - add organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, and organic dairy products.
Small changes will change how you feel (and look) from the inside out. Now that you know what the top cancer causing foods are, isn’t it about time to choose healthy food ingredients?
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Foods that promote breast cancer
Dr. Gaynor warns that some foods we eat every day can put women at an increased risk of getting breast cancer. Here are the foods that the oncologist recommends dropping from your diet.
White sugar and white flour. "Every time your pancreas has to make insulin to metabolize white sugar, your liver is making something called IGF which is one of the major promoters of breast cancer," Dr. Gaynor explains. "Avoid high fructose corn syrup, soft drinks and snacks containing white sugar. Instead sweeten juices and foods with fruits, raw honey, maple syrup, date sugar or dehydrated sugar cane [or] agave nectar."
Too much saturated fat. According to Dr. Gaynor, some saturated fat in the diet is OK but too much contributes to breast cancer development. Eating a high fat diet also causes the body to break down sugar less efficiently contributing further to weight gain.
Processed foods like those containing acrylamide.
Hormone additive meats. A by-product of one such hormone (zearalanone) has been related to early puberty in girls and is a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Hydrogenated oils, margarines, trans fat. A 2008 study found women who consumed the most trans fat had a 75 percent increased risk of breast cancer.
Ty Bollinger
Ty Bollinger is a happily married husband, the father of four wonderful children, devoted Christian, best-selling author, medical researcher, talk radio host, health freedom advocate, former competitive bodybuilder and also a certified public accountant.
After losing several family members to cancer (including his mother and father), Ty refused to accept the notion that chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery were the most effective treatments available for cancer patients. He began a quest to learn all he possibly could about alternative cancer treatments and the medical industry. Ty has now made it his life mission to share the most remarkable discovery he made on his quest: the vast majority of all diseases (including cancer) can be easily prevented and even cured without drugs or surgery.
Ty speaks frequently to health groups, at seminars, expos, conferences, churches, and is a regular guest on multiple radio shows and writes for numerous magazines and websites. Speaking from personal experience and extensive research, Ty has touched the hearts and changed the lives of thousands of people around the world.
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