"An old saying goes 'disease enters through the mouth'. Proper nutrition and diet not only contribute to health and well-being, but can also help prevent diseases. However, in our daily lives, we often fall into the trap of unhealthy eating habits, which can lead to further risks of cancer. Therefore, it is important to maintain a balanced diet and pay attention to certain details in our lifestyle. Let's take a look at some foods that are commonly consumed and may increase the risk of cancer."
1. Coffee
Coffee is a popular beverage, just like tea is to the Chinese, many Westerners enjoy drinking coffee. After a 5-year epidemiological study, American scholars concluded that caffeine has a certain impact on the formation of pancreatic and bladder cancer. People who regularly consume coffee have 2-3 times higher risk of developing these two types of cancer compared to those who do not drink coffee. At least half of pancreatic cancer patients are caused by excessive coffee consumption.
2. Processed Foods
Sodium nitrite is a well-known carcinogen, and vegetables and fresh meat can produce a large amount of sodium nitrite when processed. Salted dried fish, fermented pickles, sauerkraut, overnight cooked cabbage, sausages, and meat all contain nitrosamines. Regular consumption of these foods can increase the risk of cancer.
3. Salty Foods
In addition to table salt, salty foods include pickled vegetables, salted fish, salted meat, and other preserved foods. According to relevant studies, those who frequently consume preserved foods have a 2.79 times higher risk of developing esophageal cancer compared to those who consume them less often. Gastric cancer is most commonly caused by consuming salty foods. Japanese fishermen who consume salted fish frequently have a higher incidence of gastric and esophageal cancer. Eating salted fish is also a significant factor in nasopharyngeal cancer.
4. Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is a key factor in the high incidence of cancer in the southwest region of Shandong Province, where esophageal cancer is prevalent. As early as 1964, the World Health Organization recognized the link between excessive alcohol consumption and oral, throat, and esophageal cancers. A survey conducted in Qixing Township, Jiangsu Province, which has a relatively high incidence of liver cancer, and Xining Township, which has a relatively low incidence, revealed that the liver cancer mortality rate in the former was 2.5 times higher than the latter.
5. Chewing Gum
Although the natural rubber in chewing gum is non-toxic, the white sheet rubber used in the manufacturing process contains toxic additives such as vulcanization accelerators and antioxidants, which can irritate the stomach and cause discomfort. The artificial sweetener aspartame used in chewing gum is also a carcinogen.
Diseases do not develop overnight, but are the result of accumulation over a long time. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the small details of our diet and avoid consuming harmful foods. By maintaining a positive mindset, we can keep cancer away from our lives.
