Processed Food and Cancer Risk

While shopping in the grocery store you may want to stay away from the processed food isles.  Research has shown a definitive link between processed food and cancer risk.  They found that there is a 12% chance of you getting cancer and breast cancer is the one that is associated with the consumption of mass produced and ultra-processed foods.  Processed foods are high in sugars, salt, and fat.  They also lack the vitamins, fiber and nutrition that a body needs to be healthy.

The French believe that the nutritional value may not explain the high risk of getting cancer.  The study shows that the lower nutritional value of processed foods may not be the only factor in the high risk of cancer.  The packaging of the processed foods may also be a factor in the risk of cancer because of the chemicals used in making the packaging.

The study has found that in most countries the daily diet is made up of 50% processed foods.  Convenience foods like mass produced breads, snacks, and cookies plus the foods that children enjoy like chicken nuggets and fish sticks are also considered high risk foods.  These foods contain oils, starches, colorants, emulsifiers, and other additives that keep the food from spoiling, thus increasing the relationship between processed food and cancer risk

Not only do processed foods lead to cancer they also may increase obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.  Although this has not been proven and they are still studying the risk.  Eating processed foods may also lead to overweight and that can lead to some cancers.

The French group studied about 100,000 people – men and women – with an average age of 43.  They took into consideration their age, gender, education, smokers, physical levels, and family history.  The participants also were asked to give their medical history records to the study.  The researchers found that if the participants ate less processed and more fresh foods they had a lower risk of cancers.