The Five Foods Most Likely to Cause Cancer, According to Health Experts

An estimated one in every two people are expected to develop one form of cancer or another during their lifetime, according to findings by the U.K's National Health Service. It is believed that certain foods containing carcinogens, a substance, organism or agent capable of causing cancer, can accelerate or even trigger the emergence of cancer cells in an individual's body.

Newsweek spoke with a breast cancer surgeon turned functional medicine doctor and a health science journalist to learn which five well-loved foods contain the most carcinogens, and therefore the highest cancer risk.

Processed Meats

"There have been repeated studies demonstrating the increased incidence of cancer in people who regularly consume processed meats," functional medicine physician Jenn Simmons told Newsweek.

The doctor referred to heavily processed foods like bacon, sausage, hot dogs, luncheon meat, pork roll, salami, and beef jerky and explained that they tend to contain cancer-causing compounds.

"Some of these compounds, like nitrosamines, are there to preserve the life of the product while others are color or flavor enhancers," Simmons added.

According to the physician, even smoking meat without chemical additives can cause the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which are a type of carcinogen that can lead to the development of cancer.

"Regularly consuming processed meat is linked to the development of cancer," Simmons said.

Award-winning health science journalist Kristina Marusic seconded Simmons and reiterated to Newsweek that processed meats are a clear no-go for health conscious individuals.

"Processed meats, which include any type of meat that's been processed through smoking, salting, curing, or other processes used to prolong preservation or enhance flavor, have been classified as 'group 1 human carcinogens' by the World Health Organization (WHO)," Marusic said.

"This is the same classification the organization gives to cigarette smoking and asbestos, which doesn't mean they're all equally harmful, but does mean there's a similar amount of scientific evidence indicating that all of these things cause cancer."

While processed meats may not be as harmful as cigarettes, the chemical compounds present in these foods, which make them carcinogenic, are dangerous preservatives known as nitrates and nitrites.

"Eating processed meat is most clearly linked with colorectal cancer, and there's some evidence that it raises the risk of stomach cancer too," Marusic added.

While processed meats are most alarming to Simmons and Marusic, both experts in the field cite processed foods in general as being carcinogen-carriers, and advise people to steer clear.

Highly processed foods are typically defined as food that's undergone numerous processes to transform it from its original form, or it has had lots of ingredients added to it. Popular processed foods include fast food, frozen dinners, cereal, candy and soda.

Red Meats

Second to processed foods are red meats, according to both Simmons and Marusic, and for good reason. The World Health Organization classifies red meat as a 2A, meaning that it is probably carcinogenic to humans, and according to the pair it's best to avoid consuming red meats on a regular basis.

"Examples of red meat include beef, lamb, mutton, veal, goat, and pork and the reason that meat is associated with cancer formation, specifically colorectal cancer, is because it is all toxin and no fiber," Simmons said.

"Fiber both binds toxin and promotes elimination, so, people whose diets consist of mostly meat have low fiber and prolonged transit time through the system exposing the body to long periods of cancer causing toxins," she added.

Marusic backed Simmons: "Colorectal cancer, for instance, is most strongly linked to eating red meat."

Alcohol

Alcohol use accounts for about 6 percent of cancers and 4 percent of deaths caused by cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

"Alcohol is directly toxic to the liver and regular alcohol consumption is linked to the development of cancers of the liver, esophagus, throat, colon, rectum, and breast," Simmons said.

"The risk of cancer development is dose-dependent so the more you drink, the higher your chances are of developing one or more of these cancers," she added.

Foods With 'Forever Chemicals'

Foods contaminated with polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals," make their way into our diet through contact with to-go wrappers and containers that have been treated with the chemicals to make them water-proof and grease-proof.

The paper lining underneath a takeaway pizza is a good example of this, as are the paper wrappers frequently used for presenting bakery treats, and the to-go paper boxes at many salad bars.

PFAS are also found in the lining of microwave popcorn bags and can get into our produce, meat and dairy products from PFAS-contaminated soil and animals exposed to the chemicals.

"The problem with PFAS is that they don't break down naturally, raise cancer risk and cause other health problems, and have been detected in the bodies of most Americans and in unborn babies," Marusic told Newsweek.

"A growing list of restaurants and retailers are pledging to phase out PFAS in their food packaging due to consumer pressure, but we need regulations to protect us from these exposures," she added.

Foods With Colorings and Pesticides

All nine of the approved food colorings, or color additives, were found, in 2012, to adversely affect health, Simmons told Newsweek. The physician went on to say that "red 3" in particular, that is found in nearly 300 types of food ranging from cakes to candy, causes cancer in animals.

"There is also evidence that other dyes are carcinogenic, 'red 40,' 'yellow 5,' and 'yellow 6' for instance have been found to be contaminated with benzidine, a known carcinogen," Simmons said.

The use of many of these substances in food supply has been banned in several countries, for instance in Europe, due to their known connection to cancer and other diseases, but the U.S. continues to allow their widespread use in popular foods, pharmaceuticals and ingredients, according to Marusic.

The pair added that alongside colorings, consumers should watch out for foods that contain pesticides because many of those used in the U.S. are carcinogenic, and there's strong scientific evidence that eating food grown with pesticides raises our cancer risk.

"Many pesticides that are widely used in the U.S. have been banned in other parts of the world because they're dangerous to human health," Marusic told Newsweek.

"The foods most likely to retain high levels of pesticides and increase cancer risk include strawberries, spinach and other leafy greens, peaches, pears, nectarines, blueberries, cherries, green beans, apples, grapes, and peppers."

"Organic foods are grown without the use of pesticides, but aren't affordable or accessible to everyone, so we need regulations to better protect us from the cancer risk posed by pesticides," she added.

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