Foods That May Cause Cancer

Red and Processed Meats

Red meat offers health benefits, including protein, iron, and vitamin B12. But there's also evidence of its role in contributing to cancers such as:

• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Esophageal cancer

How meat is prepared plays a role in what cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) are released.

One study found that well-done meats cooked at high heat over an open flame, as well as smoked meats, may increase prostate cancer risk.

Processed meats are linked to an increased risk of developing cancer. They also tend to have more salt and saturated fat as ingredients, which may add to the risk.

These foods include:

• Hot dogs
• Lunchmeats, like corned beef or salami
• Bacon, ham, and sausage
• Beef jerky

Consuming these foods has been associated with colon and rectal cancers, but it may also play a role in pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, stomach and esophageal cancers, and cancers of the nose and throat.

Sugary Foods

Consuming too much sugar has been linked to a number of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular (heart) disease, and more.

Sugars including fructose, lactose (a natural sugar found in milk), and maltose has been implicated in different cancer types, including breast cancer.

While a direct link has not been demonstrated, there is evidence of a correlation between sugary diets and cancer.

One study of 101,279 people followed for nearly six years on average found that total sugar intake was associated with higher overall cancer risk.

The authors concluded that people who modify their diets by reducing sugar consumption may benefit from a reduced risk of cancer.

Saturated Fats

Some studies suggest a link between saturated fat consumption and breast cancer, as well as how an existing cancer advances in people who consume them.

Saturated fats come from red meat and other meat sources, but also dairy products, processed snack foods, and certain types of oils. They stay in solid form at room temperature, like butter and coconut oil do.

Options to replace foods high in saturated fats include olive oil and foods (like some types of fish) that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient.

Saturated fats pose a number of additional health risks including high cholesterol and heart disease, so reducing them will benefit you in other ways, too.

Alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages has long been implicated in liver diseases like cirrhosis. This condition increases your risk for liver cancer. Alcohol also may also play a role in other cancer diagnoses.

These cancers include:

• Breast cancer
• Mouth and throat cancers
• Digestive tract cancers, including colon and esophageal cancers

Moderate alcohol use may increase cancer risk too, but it's excessive drinking that dramatically increases your chances of developing cancer—especially if you also smoke.

Heavy drinking is defined as four drinks per day (or more than 14 drinks per week) in males, or three drinks per day (or more than seven in a week) for females.

Salty Foods

Salt consumption may play a role in development of certain cancer types, although studies remain inconclusive.

What is clear is that salt leads to chronic inflammation, which may influence how cancer develops.

A number of cancer types, including breast, prostate, liver, and stomach cancers, may be associated with salt intake because of sodium's key cellular role in the body.

Blood pressure, kidney function, and even your immune system health may be affected by the salt you use, as well.

Summary

The role of certain foods in causing cancer, such as red meat's impact on colon and rectal cancer risk, is well-established.

But for many other foods, an understanding of the direct link between food and cancer continues to evolve. Research evidence does suggest a relationship between dairy foods and breast cancer, for example, but more study is needed.