Last year over 1.5 million people were diagnosed with cancer. But few people know that foods they are eating contain deadly carcinogens or are harming them in a way that might cause cancer. Is what you are eating killing you?

1. Highly Processed White Flours

After refining, processed white flours not only lose most all of their nutrients but they are also bleached with a chemical called chlorine gas. The EPA sites this gas as dangerous, irritant, that can be lethal. It is also very highly glycemic and bad for your blood sugar. Not only are they making us fat they might also be contributing to rising cancer rates.

2. Microwave Popcorn

Everybody loves a yummy bag of popcorn. Making it in the microwave is easy and convenient. Unfortunately, according to wikipedia the bags of microwave popcorn are lined with perfluorooctanoic acid ( PFOA). This chemical is also found in Teflon. Studies have shown that this chemical can be linked with infertility in women and exposure significantly increases risk of kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas and testicular cancers. Find more out at cancer.org. Many microwave popcorns also still use diacetyl which Conagra stopped using due to employees using it getting lung cancer.

3. Alcohol

Over consumption of alcohol can lead to many health issues including diabetes, obesity and many types of cancers. A recent study showed that postmenopausal women who drank one drink per day or less had a 30% increase in breast cancer rates than women who did not drink at all. Alcohol is the 2nd leading cause of cancer following tobacco. Experts working with the World Health Organization Research on Cancer found evidence that alcohol is the main cause of mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum, and female breast cancers.

4. Artificial Sweeteners

If you have to avoid sugar, are on a diet or have diabetes you might be using artificial sweeteners. However, many studies show that people usually GAIN weight when using them and can make it harder to control blood sugar. More studies are coming out that show aspertame, when broken down becomes a deadly toxin called DKP. This breakdown of chemicals is known to cause certain brain tumors.

5. Processed Meats

Like some hot dogs, sausages, bacon and other processed meats? Most of them have excessive salts and chemicals. Some studies show that people who regularly eat processed meats increased their chance of early death by as much as 43%. Sodium Nitrates are the biggest offenders and also a well know carcinogen with smoked meats being particularly bad.

6. Refined Sugars and Soda Pop

Many believe that refined sugars are the preferable food for cancer cells which helps them grow. High Fructose Corn Syrup being one of the main culprits because it is most easily metabolized by cancer cells. This puts most cakes, sodas, sauces, juices, etc on the NO NO list.. Sorry sweet tooths!

7. Canned Foods

Many canned foods and obviously found in cans. Most cans are lined with a chemical called bisphenol-A or BPA. Study about 2 years ago showed that BPA’s affect the way genes worked inside rats’ brains. The FDA seems to agree this is a problem and is supporting efforts to reduce, replace or eliminate the amounts found in canned foods. The high acidity leaves tomatoes more dangerous because they can leech the BPA more readily from the can lining.

8. Potato Chips

They sure make a great tasting quick snack but the negative effects far outweigh the short term pleasure. High in both fat and calories the cause weight gain. Add in often high Trans-Fats with sodium and you have the recipe for cancer and heart disease related health problems.

9. Smoked, Pickled and Salted!

These foods often have nitrates that turn into N-nitroso that is associated with higher cancer risks when digested. Smoked meats that are high in fat can help lead to stomach and colorectal cancer.

10. Hydrogenated Oils

These are vegetable oils. They must be chemically removed from their source and are often deodorized and colored. Also, excessive Omega-6 fatty acids cause health problems.

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