About the Author
Natalie Williams
Most people believe cancers come out of nowhere. It is an irrefutable fact that what you consume on a daily basis will hugely contribute to your risk of cancer. Some of the food we eat have large amounts of cancer promoters (carcinogens) that cause cancers. In this article, we shall explore 3 common types of carcinogens present in an average person's diet, what food we should eat and shouldn't eat to prevent cancer.
Acrylamide: A Cancer Causing Chemical?
Acrylamide has been used in industrial processes like the creation of plastic, treatment of contaminated water and manufacturing of food packaging for a long time. Experts recently found traces of acrylamide in food that was cooked with high temperature cooking methods such as roasting, frying, baking and microwaving. Acrylamide has been proven to cause cancer in animals but no concrete link has been found to indicate this happens in human beings even though acrylamide is extremely unhealthly for our bodies. French fries have been tested to contain the highest levels of acrylamide, followed by certain brands of potato chips, breakfast cereals, cookies, brewed coffee and toast bread according to the US FDA/CFSAN 2006 Exposure Assessment for Acrylamide.
Sodium Nitrate: Why It Is Bad For Your Health
Sodium nitrate is a standard preservative of processed meat. When added to meat, it preserves the redness of the meat to make it look more mouthwatering at the expense of your health. During the digestion process of sodium nitrate, nitrosamine is created and this is what promotes the development of cancer cells. Almost all forms of processed meat like pepperoni, bologna, ham, bacon, hot dogs and lunch meat contain sodium nitrate.
Trans Fat: The Worst Fat In The World
Trans fat or trans-fatty acids (TFAs) ranks as the most terrible kind of fat. The problem with trans fat is because it was transformed from it's vegetable oil form to a semi-solid state through the use of hydrogen. Food companies do this to save money, to extend the shelf life of their products and to improve flavor stability. Due to it's processed nature, it is considered unnatural in our bodies and it is very difficult to digest, therefore it easily sticks to our arteries if we don't exercise often. What's worse, trans fat promotes the development of bad cholesterol and reduces the levels of good cholesterol, increasing your risk of heart disease. Trans fat can be found in pastries, food with vegetable shortening, commercially deep-fried food, partially hydrogenated oils and hydrogenated oils.
Foods That Prevent Cancer
It is ideal for all of us to restrict or eliminate our consumption of processed food that contain the 3 carcinogens above and other unhealthy substances like cigarettes, alcohol, sugar and salt. However, it is extremely difficult for most people as some of them are very yummy. You have to make the choice of enjoying good food or having a healthy body, but you can't have both all the time. At the very least, choose natural food like organic vegetables, fruit and meat as much as possible. Try your best to eat raw vegetables and fruit that is high in fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients, and you should be way ahead of the general public. As a general rule, eat what mother nature intended us to eat and avoid man-made food.
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Visit Natalie's site CancerArchive.com for more tips on how to prevent cancer, treat cancer and much more.
Published by Natalie Williams on November 11, 2007 09:39 PM
