Cancer is a complex group of diseases with many possible causes.

In all types of cancer, some of the body’s cells begin to divide without stopping and spread into surrounding tissues.

Cancer can spread almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. In normal functioning human conditions, human cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place.

When cancer develops, however, this orderly process breaks down. As cells become more and more abnormal, old or damaged cells survive when they should die, and new cells form when they are not needed. These extra cells can divide without stopping and may form growths called tumors.

Medical experts note that it can be triggered by various factors, including:

• Smoking and Tobacco
• Sun and Other Types of Radiation
• Viruses and Other Infections

According to researches, following an unhealthy diet and being physically inactive could elevate your possibility of developing cancer.

It has been estimated by The World Cancer Research Fund that nearly 20% of the total American cancer cases are associated with poor diet, physical inactivity, weight gain, and excess consumption of alcohol.

However, like many other diseases, cancer is also a preventable disease. So, you can greatly lower your risk of cancer by:

• Eating a healthy diet rich in organic veggies and fruits;
• Quit smoking;
• Exercising regularly;
• Maintaining a healthy body weight.

Here is the list of top 8 foods that can increase your cancer risk:

1. Refined and Artificial Sugary Foods

It is a well-known fact that the excess intake of foods containing refined sugar and artificial fructose sweeteners, like high-fructose corn syrup can lead to the development of a wide range of health issues.

In general, this type of foods can quickly raise the levels of insulin and boost cancer cell growth.

In 2006, the American Society for Clinical Nutrition journal published a study suggesting that the participants who consumed higher amounts of sugar-sweetened foods had a greater chance of developing pancreatic cancer than control group.

Hence, consider substituting these unhealthy food choices with natural options such as maple syrup, raw honey, stevia, blackstrap molasses, or jaggery.

2. Red and Processed Meats

There are a lot of harmful preservatives and chemicals in processed meats, including bacon, sausage, ham, etc. Moreover, this type of meat also possesses extremely high amount of salt.

A study shows that the excess processed meat consumption could be linked to the development of colorectal cancer.

That’s not all, high read meat consumption can also elevate the persons risk of developing prostate and colorectal cancer.

So, you should exclude these foods from your diet. You should only eat grass-fed meat since it is a much healthier alternative than processed ones.

3. Smoked and Pickled Foods

The regular consumption of these foods is not good for your overall health.

Namely, the smoking process of smoked meats leaves many toxic ingredients in the meat, which can contribute to various health issues. Also, there are a lot of nitrates in pickled foods that are transformed into N-nitroso. Additionally, this ingredient can significantly elevate the possibility of developing cancer.

What’s more, smoked and pickled foods are loaded with preservatives. They are added in these foods in order to prolong their shelf life. But, the excess intake of preservatives can trigger cellular damage, thus resulting in cancer development.

Therefore, it is recommended to exclude these foods from your diet.

Must Read: The Truth about Cancer: What You Need to Know about Cancer’s History, Treatment, and Prevention

4. White Flour

Nowadays, there are a great number of processed food products containing refined white flour. However, refined white flour possesses high amounts of carbohydrates, which have negative impact on your health. Also, they can elevate the risk of developing cancer.

According to studies, women who consumed too much carbohydrates had a raised breast cancer risk. It has been also found that white flour consumption can cause increased sugar levels in the blood very quickly.

That is why you should replace refined white flour with other healthier alternatives such as quinoa, almond, whole-wheat, or barley flour.

5. Hydrogenated Oils

This type of oils are actually turned into poisons through their processing and manufacturing.

They are chemically extracted from vegetables to prolong their shelf life as well as preserve processed foods. Moreover, they are abundant in omega–6 fatty acids and trans fats.

To explain you more deeply, small amount of omega–6 fatty acids can be beneficial for your overall health. But, high intake of these fatty acids can negatively affect the cell membrane’s structure and flexibility. It can elevate your risk of developing many cancer types, particularly skin cancer.

Plus, the trans fats can raise your chance of developing colorectal, prostate and breast cancer.

As you can see, hydrogenated oils can do a lot of harm to your health, so replace them with extra-virgin coconut and olive oil.

5. Microwave Popcorn

Did you know that there is a chemical known as perfluorooctanoic acid present in the microwave popcorn bags that is extremely toxic?

There are a few studies conducted on the harmful effects of this chemical. In addition, researchers revealed that those people who had PFOA exposure at work had a greater risk of developing kidney and bladder cancer.

Another study found that this chemical can also result in impaired fertility in women.

Unluckily, microwave popcorn also possesses many GMO products and preservatives, including propyl gallate.

6. Farmed Salmon

There is a huge difference between farmed and wild salmon. In other words, unlike the farmed salmon, the consumption of wild variety offers many health benefits.

Furthermore, farmed salmon consumption has been found to increase the chance of cancer development.

There’s a study confirming that there are greater amounts of harmful chemicals and cancer-promoting ingredients in farmed salmon than wild one. Some of these ingredients include toxaphene, mercury, dioxins, flame retardants, and polychlorinated biphenyls. These ingredients are not good for your health and can lead to many other health problems.

In case you want to purchase wild salmon, please read its labeled ingredients. Keep in mind that farmed salmon is cheaper than wild variety.

7. Potato Chips

The manufacturing process of potato chips requires very high temperatures. It leads to the creation of acrylamide, which is a popular carcinogen.

The National Cancer Institute published a study proving that this ingredient found in potato chips increases the possibility of developing breast, prostate, ovarian, and digestive tract cancer.

All of us know that potato chips are loaded with calories and fats that can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and so on. Also, they possess many artificial preservatives and flavors. But, why are you still eating this type of food?

Considering all these findings, you should prepare potato chips at your home by using olive oil, rather than purchasing commercial potato chips. Plus, consider preparing baked banana or apple chips because they are healthier alternatives than potato chips.