Carcinogenic Foods You Did Not Know About!

A cancer is uncontrolled proliferation of cells in our body. Anything that causes cancer is called a carcinogen. We've all known that smoking and alcohol consumption dramatically increase the risk of cancer, but what you're about to read now might come as an absolute shocker to you.

What you are going to learn is how common foods that you consume daily or quite frequently can be a cause of concern.

Popcorn, the microwavable variety

Probably the most convenient and popular of all "packed" foods, microwave popcorn is simplicity personified. Unfortunately, chemicals found in the linings of the bags release potent carcinogens in the popcorn when microwaved.

Artificial sweeteners

Though marketed as a "healthy option to the calorie-rich sugar," artificial sweeteners are wolves in sheep’s disguise. Aspartame, sucralose (your favourite Splenda or Equal), saccharine and many other such sweeteners are all linked to various kinds of cancers.

Conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables

These may contain as many as 50-60 different types of pesticides and residues of chemical fertilizers, all of which are either known, confirmed or potential carcinogens.
The chart shows a few farm products like grapes, apples, strawberries etc. that generally contain pesticides. Other foods like cabbage, bananas or tomatoes have comparitively less pesticides in them.

Refined sugars

The pure-white, crystalline table sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrups (HFCSs) are the best sources of nutrients for cancer cells and can drastically increase their proliferation. And so, many of our food-goodies, like pies, cookies, candies and other processed foods, which contain either refined sugar or HFCS, are a health hazard.

Trans fats

These are hydrogenated fats which are not known to the human body. They have the ability to play havoc with our cellular structure, leading to cancer. These fats are normally added to fried snacks, like potato chips, burgers, pakodas, etc

Smoked foods

We all love our smoked salmons and other fishes. But smoking produces tar, a known carcinogen. This tar is absorbed by the food and although smoking does give the food a delectable taste, it also turns them into a health nightmare. And oh! By the way, farmed salmon is full of chemicals, pesticides and other known carcinogens.

Salt

This might shock the living daylights out of most of us! The humble NaCl, table salt, is known to increase risks of stomach cancer, when consumed in high amounts, which usually is the case with fried savouries and other such snacks.

Apart from these, the other culprits are red meat, sodas, refined flours and canned tomatoes. So what does one eat? Everything that is natural and organic, just like how our grandparents ate. Reduce refined and processed foods from your diet and more than half the battle is won.