{"id":30109,"date":"2023-05-23T07:51:33","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T11:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/?p=30109"},"modified":"2025-04-12T13:01:59","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T17:01:59","slug":"how-do-harmful-food-ingredients-affect-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/how-do-harmful-food-ingredients-affect-your-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How do harmful food ingredients affect your health?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regular exposure to certain food additives, contaminants, carcinogens, and mutagens in your diet adds up over time, which can increase your risk of developing cancer. Thankfully, there are things you can do to help counteract this. While no single food or diet can guarantee good health, making healthier dietary choices<\/a> may reduce your cancer risk.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re curious about the connections between food and cancer, here are some tips on improving your nutrition that can potentially reduce your cancer risk and support your health if you\u2019re undergoing cancer treatment.<\/p>\n

This includes avoiding carcinogenic, or cancer-causing foods. Below are some of the ones you’re most likely to encounter.<\/p>\n

Red meat<\/h3>\n

Red meat is one of the most notable foods linked to cancer. This is partially due to a naturally occurring chemical in red meat called haem. It damages cells and causes gut bacteria to release toxins that can damage the colon, thereby increasing your risk for cancer.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, cooking your meat also releases chemicals, increasing its carcinogenic potential. Exposing all muscle meats (beef, pork, fish, or poultry) and fats to high temperatures results in the formation of natural chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).<\/p>\n

And PAHs aren\u2019t the only carcinogenic by-products produced by cooking meat<\/a>. High-heat cooking methods, like grilling or barbecuing, also cause the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are additional cancer-causing food compounds.<\/p>\n

HCAs form when amino acids, sugars, and creatine in the muscle react under high temperatures. And the longer the meat is cooked at high heat, the greater the HCA concentration. As you consume these chemicals, they\u2019re activated by specific enzymes, enabling them to damage your DNA.<\/p>\n

Despite this, you don’t have to completely avoid beef, lamb, pork, venison, and goat; the Canadian Cancer Society<\/a> recommends limiting your consumption to three 85g servings weekly.<\/p>\n

Processed meat<\/h3>\n

They may be fan favourites, but processed meats contain added chemical compounds called nitrates, which shouldn\u2019t have a regular place in your diet.<\/p>\n

When you eat processed meats, the bacteria in your mouth help to convert these nitrates into nitrite. This one-letter change comes with significant ramifications. As they react with your stomach acid, ingested nitrites form nitrosamines<\/a>, carcinogenic agents that contribute to various forms of cancer, including brain, lung, liver, esophagus, kidney, bowel, and stomach cancer.<\/p>\n

Subsequently, any meat that\u2019s preserved through smoking, curing, salting, or adding preservatives is considered carcinogenic. While this includes deli meats, it also includes sausages, bacon, corned beef, canned meat, and liver pat\u00e9s. However, the worst offenders are hotdogs, which clock in at 9mg of nitrates per 100g<\/a> (bacon, in contrast, contains 5.5mg of nitrates per 100g).<\/p>\n

As a result, the Canadian Cancer Society recommends avoiding processed meat or limiting consumption to special occasions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Which food ingredients are linked to cancer?<\/h3>\n

Deli meats and red meat are easy to spot, but cancer-causing ingredients in food aren\u2019t always as simple to find. The next time you’re in the grocery aisles, take a second to read the labels on your purchases<\/a>. Over a lifetime, regularly absorbing small amounts of harmful, carcinogenic food ingredients may translate into an increased risk for cancer. You may consider returning anything with the following ingredients to the shelf.<\/p>\n

Aspartame<\/h3>\n

Used as a sweetener in products as varied as baked goods, sugar-free gum, and diet sodas, aspartame has been shown to cause cancer in rodents<\/a>. And, while it\u2019s still widely available, researchers found that those who consumed an average of 47.42mg of aspartame a day had a slightly higher cancer risk<\/a> than those with an average consumption of 3.24mg\/day. For reference, there\u2019s approximately 200mg of aspartame in one 12oz can of diet soda alone.<\/p>\n

Food dyes<\/h3>\n

While their carcinogenic potential in humans isn\u2019t fully understood, food dyes are a concerning ingredient. Red dye 3<\/a> is known to cause cancer in animals. Meanwhile, research indicates that other dyes, such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, may be contaminated with known carcinogenic agents such as benzidine.<\/p>\n

Sugar<\/h3>\n

Sugar, or glucose, comes from all carbohydrates. Since every one of your cells relies on sugar for energy, it\u2019s a necessary food. But consuming too much sugar, especially added sugars, can both increase your chances of becoming obese (and all the risks that accompany it), as well as your risk of developing cancer<\/a>. And, if you already have the disease, a high-sugar diet may stimulate its progression.<\/p>\n

In light of this, the Canadian Cancer Society recommends that no more than 10% of your calories come from sugar. That means an average 2,000-calorie diet should include less than 48 grams of sugar daily<\/a>, which is comparable to 12 sugar cubes.<\/p>\n

Does processed food cause cancer?<\/h3>\n

You already know that eating ultra-processed foods (UPFs) like microwaveable dinners, soft drinks, packaged snacks, and breakfast cereals isn\u2019t good for your blood sugar or heart health. But a recent study<\/a> also shows that a high UPF diet increases your overall risk of developing cancer, especially brain and ovarian cancer. Given that, it\u2019s best to avoid overly-processed foods as much as possible.<\/p>\n

How to reduce your risk of carcinogens<\/h3>\n

Carcinogens aren\u2019t limited to your diet. They can also occur naturally or artificially in the environment. For example, sunlight is a carcinogen \u2014 even one blistering sunburn in your youth doubles your melanoma risk<\/a> later in life. To help protect yourself from environmental carcinogens, wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF.<\/p>\n

Cigarette smoke is another source of carcinogens. Each cigarette contains thousands of chemicals \u2014 at least 69 of which cause cancer<\/a>. And, while more research is needed when it comes to vaping and cancer, studies have shown that some e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine cartridges can contain carcinogens such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone<\/a>. As a result, it\u2019s recommended that you avoid vaping, smoking, and inhaling second-hand smoke.<\/p>\n

In addition, making the following changes can help you avoid dietary carcinogens.<\/p>\n

Look for alternatives to cancer-causing food and food ingredients<\/h3>\n

When it comes to diet, there are a few major changes that are worth making. First and foremost, it\u2019s best to reserve processed meats for special occasions like barbecues. And, if lunch meats are a dietary staple for you, try swapping them out for healthier protein sources like tuna, egg, or chicken.<\/p>\n

Moreover, it\u2019s worth looking at your red meat consumption. Try rotating in healthier, lean protein options like turkey, chicken, and fish to lower your overall intake. You may also want to consider a regular \u201cmeatless Monday\u201d (or whatever other day of the week works for you).<\/p>\n

Vegetarian alternatives are becoming increasingly popular as they\u2019re a great way to incorporate healthy, fibre and protein-filled foods into your diet. Beet burgers, vegetarian chilli, and vegetarian burritos are just some of the incredible recipes out there, and the list is growing all the time.<\/p>\n

As an added bonus, a plant-heavy diet can also help you to maintain healthy blood pressure<\/a> and cholesterol levels. This may also help keep your heart healthy by lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease.<\/p>\n

Use healthier cooking methods<\/h3>\n

The reason that a poached chicken breast is good for you and a slice of deli-smoked turkey isn\u2019t comes down to how they\u2019re prepared. Instead of broiling or smoking your meat, which increases its concentration of carcinogenic compounds, try an alternate preparation method like poaching, stewing, boiling, or steaming.<\/p>\n

Use non-toxic food storage containers<\/h3>\n

When it comes to storing those leftovers, the containers you use matter too. Many plastic containers contain bisphenol A (BPA)<\/a>, an endocrine-disrupting chemical shown to play a role in prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer. Avoid exposing yourself to this by storing your leftovers in glass containers or wrapping them in tinfoil. Beeswax wraps and lidded glass or ceramic casserole dishes are also great alternatives.<\/p>\n

Choose plant-based foods more often<\/h3>\n

The occasional fruit or vegetable can\u2019t prevent cancer, but eating a lot of certain cancer-fighting foods can help lower your risk.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re best off choosing foods high in certain minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients<\/a> with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic effects. Some foods that can lower your risk of cancer include:<\/p>\n