Favorite foods that increase your real risk of cancer

0

Death rates from cancer remain consistently high year after year, despite advances in treatment and diagnostic procedures. While the relationship between cancer and diet is complex, there is growing evidence that certain food groups are associated with increased risk.

Whether you enjoy sausages as part of a roast or pair them with mash, the small meat assortment is a staple of British cuisine.

Other favorites like bacon and ham are also on many people's shopping lists. But these processed foods have been linked to cancer. A new study has found that a curing agent used in these foods speeds up the growth of cancerous tumors in mice. The ingredient is called nitrite, and it helps preserve the meat and give it its characteristic pink color.

Mice fed processed meat containing the treatment chemicals developed 75% more cancerous tumors than mice fed pork without nitrites. Additionally, animal models fed a nitrate-rich diet developed 82% more tumors in their intestines than controls.

While eating large amounts of processed and red meat has previously been linked to bowel cancer, this study highlights the negative impact of nitrites. Previous studies have also linked nitrites to breast and prostate cancer.

The new study's findings make the cancer risk associated with nitrite-cured meats even more clear.

“Daily consumption of bacon and ham containing nitrites poses a real public health risk.”

The study found that mice fed the same amount of nitrite-free pork did not develop tumors, further demonstrating that the chemical's consumption has a significant impact on cancer risk.