They can cause serious harm to health even with a single use.
Food carcinogens are dangerous to health and increase the risk of developing cancer. The degree of their participation in the formation of cancerous tumors continues to be investigated, but today it is recommended to protect the body from negative influences.
Nata Gonchar
Founder of the International Institute of Integrative Nutrition
Harmful substances that have a destructive effect on the body can be in many familiar products from the store — I'll tell you about the seven most popular.
What are carcinogens?
These are various kinds of agents and substances that actively disrupt the work of our DNA, provoking malfunctions in the body's cells, which often leads to carcinogenesis — the pathophysiological process of the formation and development of a cancerous tumor.
That is, substances are potentially dangerous agents for the body, the impact of which increases the risk of developing a malignant tumor. In store-bought products, they hide under obscure names of food additives, preservatives and flavor enhancers.
But even healthy foods can become carcinogenic if you use a harmful method of cooking: frying in vegetable oil, deep-frying, preservation with vinegar.
Toxic compounds are formed in a crispy toasted crust (fried potatoes, grilled meat):
- acrylamide;
- metabolites of fatty acids;
- various aldehydes;
- benzopyrene.
Toxic compounds are found in fried pies and donuts, potato chips, meat cooked on coals.
The effect of carcinogens increases if the product has been in oil for a long time. Many establishments neglect the norms of sanitary rules and often cook dozens of servings in the same oil.
In such dishes, the concentration of harmful substances is so high that it can cause serious harm to health even with a single use.
Artificial sweeteners
The use of artificial sweeteners for the purpose of weight loss harms the body. Synthetic sugar substitutes, which are part of carbonated drinks, coffee and dietary sweets, do not help to lose weight, but, on the contrary, lead to weight gain.
Synthetic substances block the natural process of regulating food intake, increase cravings for sweets.
Aspartame is a dangerous sweetener that can cause the development of cataracts and gastroparesis (digestive disorder), a number of oncological diseases, malformations of the fetus during pregnancy.
Saccharin, sucralose and other synthetic sweeteners have similar negative properties.
Regular use of sugar substitutes leads to the formation of the dangerous toxin diketopiperazine in the body. This substance increases the risk of developing cancer, most often brain tumors.
Processed cheese
Such products contain an increased content of carcinogenic substances: stabilizer sodium pyrophosphate (E 450), sodium 5-substituted triphosphate (E451), carrageenan (407), popular food additive E621 (sodium glutamate) and many others.
Additives such as E338-341, E407, E450-454 cause digestive disorders. E250 is the most toxic and can provoke serious food poisoning.
Potassium nitrate (E252) causes headaches, kidney inflammation and other organ disorders. It is especially dangerous for asthmatics, because it can provoke an acute attack of suffocation.
Refined flour
Wheat flour and other types of refined flour are often used in cooking. Such a product has an increased content of fast carbohydrates, which sharply raise blood sugar levels and increase insulin production, creating favorable conditions for the development of cancerous tumors and diabetes mellitus.
Regular consumption of products containing refined white flour increases the risk of breast cancer in women.
Note: Belgian scientists have proven that malignant tumors feed on sugar from the bloodstream, so avoiding refined foods and pure sugar will help prevent the development of cancer.
Farmed salmon
Fatty fish varieties are good for health, as they contain essential omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, calcium and other important elements. Unfortunately, most of the salmon presented in stores is grown on farms, which reduces its benefits tenfold.
Farmed fish is a carcinogenic product, it feeds on artificial food with chemicals, antibiotics, flame retardants, pesticides and other known carcinogens. These substances penetrate into fish meat and enter the human body when consumed.
Farmed salmon is fatter, so it absorbs more toxins.
Processed meat products
Sausages, sausages, ham, bacon and ready-made meat semi-finished products contain chemical preservatives-carcinogens. WHO classifies all meat products to the group of factors "Carcinogenic to humans".
Nitrites give sausage products an appetizing pink color, provide a long shelf life. These chemical compounds, under the influence of gastric juice, turn into carcinogenic nitrosamines, which have a destructive effect on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, provoking the formation of a cancerous tumor.
Sodium nitrite (E250) increases the risk of colon, pancreatic, and prostate cancer.
I note that red meat (pork, beef, lamb) has been included by WHO in the group of factors "Probably carcinogenic to humans".
It contains a large amount of hemoglobin, the splitting of which forms nitro compounds. This process damages the intestinal mucosa, triggering mechanisms leading to the development of cancerous neoplasms.
With daily consumption of only 50 g of sausage, the probability of cancer of the large intestine increases by 18%.
Hydrogenated oils
Trans fats are produced chemically using hydrogen. These include various margarine, milk fat substitutes and other unnatural oils.
Hydrogenated oils are used for the production of many food products to extend their shelf life and maintain an appetizing appearance. Such oils are added to pastries and confectionery, sauces, mayonnaise, ready-made breakfasts, chips, semi-finished products, fast food.
The use of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable fats changes the structure and elasticity of cell membranes in the body, which leads to cancer, provokes the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Sparkling water with syrup
Sugary carbonated drinks are saturated with empty calories, sugar, food dyes and other carcinogens that serve as food for cancer cells.
The additive E150 (sugar or caramel color), which is added to lemonades, contains the carcinogen 4-methylimidazole, which can increase the risk of developing blood cancer, liver and thyroid tumors.
Orthophosphoric acid (E338) is also added to sweet sodas, which provokes digestive disorders.
Additives E950 and E951 negatively affect the state of the cardiovascular system, can harm the developing fetus in the womb.
The results of research by scientists from the United States and Singapore suggest that drinking two servings of soda a week almost doubles the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
How to protect the body from the effects of carcinogens?
The consequences of carcinogenesis and the effects of carcinogens can be avoided by maintaining immunity and taking care of health: it is important to get enough sleep, exercise and eat right.
Strong immunity destroys malignant cells of carcinogens, protecting the body from the development of oncological diseases.
To reduce the penetration of carcinogens into the body, it is necessary to limit their number and duration of exposure. Compliance with several recommendations will help in this.
- Exclude from the diet products of questionable origin and quality, with a long list of ingredients.
- Limit the use of foods with preservatives, dyes, trans fats.
- Do not overuse fried, smoked and grilled dishes and open fire.
- Bake meat, fish and other foods instead of frying in oil.
- Give up smoking.
- As much as possible, reduce the consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages, if possible, give them up completely.
Proper nutrition and healthy foods help to cope with the attack of carcinogens. There are a number of products that bind dangerous compounds in the body through chemical reactions or absorb, blocking negative effects.
The sorbents of carcinogens include:
- fresh cabbage, carrots, beets and freshly squeezed juices from these vegetables;
- porridge on water from buckwheat, oatmeal, rice;
- green tea;
- fermented milk products;
- dried fruit compote.
Try to eat fresh vegetables and whole-grain cereals daily, because they perfectly protect against the appearance of malignant neoplasms, help to clear the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract from accumulated carcinogens.
Source: championat
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