22 years
If there is a study such as carcinogenicity study, what did it conclude? What are the foods we consume that are proven to cause cancer?
Sep 4, 2014
1- cigarette smoking
2- infection and inflammation, and
3- nutrition and dietary carcinogens.
Before you proceed with reading the below, you have to keep in mind that carcinogenic compounds are usually absorbed in minute amounts into your system, and rarely reach levels that are toxic enough to produce cancerous transformations in your cells.
Nutrition and dietary carcinogens pertinent to carcinogenesis are mainly divided into two categories, (i) microcomponents and (ii) macrocomponents and total calorie intake.
Genotoxic agent, or agents that are toxic to the genes, they exert their effect by either of two mechanisms: inducing genetic alterations related to carcinogenesis, and triggering events that promote tumor formation. Genotoxic agents are clearly identified as causing DNA damage resulting in the formation of abnormal DNA sequence, and more so, abnormal chromosomes.
Dietary tumor promoters, or dietary elements that are infamous for increasing the chances of tumor formation, are less well understood in terms of how they produce their effects. Although tumor promoters represented by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) exert their actions as microcomponents, most nutritional and dietary tumor promoters are of the macrocomponent type.
(i) microcomponents
Heterocyclic amines (HCAs): produced by cooking protein-rich food, like meat and fish, have been identified as being genotoxic agents in that they induce tumors of organs like the breast, colon and prostate which are on the rise. Formation of HCAs can be significantly reduced by inexpensive and easy measures like avoidance of exposure of meat surfaces to flames, usage of aluminum foil to wrap meat before oven roasting and the employment of microwave cooking.
Other possible dietary carcinogens: include mycotoxins (found in foods may be contaminated with toxins of the mold), norsesquiterpene glucoside from bracken fern, pyrrolizidine alkaloids are present in various edible plants (like coltsfoot and cornfrey), Cycasin from cycad nut plants (these grow in tropical areas), hydrazines from mushrooms, nitrites and nitrates (used as food preservatives), heating certain foods (as it is associated with the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are notorious carcinogens), and foods and alcoholic beverages contaminated with dioxins ( these are by-products of various industrial processes, and are considered highly toxic compounds that are environmental pollutants and persistent organic pollutants (POPs)).
(ii) macrocomponents
Total calorie intake and cancer
It is a known fact that excess calorie intake, resulting in fat deposits, is a risk factor for developing all kinds of cancer. Digestion, absorption, metabolism and excretion of excess nutrients require oxidative metabolism and produce more active oxygen species which cause DNA damage.
Fat intake and carcinogenesis
Especially animal fat intake has been pointed at as the culprit in the increase of cancer cases worldwide. Several studies indicated that a positive correlation exists between fat intake and incidences of breast, colon and prostate cancers.
Sodium chloride intake and gastric cancer
A close correlation between daily salt intake and gastric cancer incidence has been reported in epidemiological studies.
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