This concept encompasses more than 200 different diseases that have in common the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body. This group of cells is called a tumor. The tumor is considered malignant when cells have the ability to move within the body (through lymph and blood) and grow in other organs or tissues, producing metastases. All malignant tumor cells are formed as a result of a genetic alteration of these cells.
What is the relationship between diet and cancer?
The best diet to fight cancer is one of the factors to take into account for its prevention, together with physical exercise, not smoking or drinking alcohol and taking adequate precautions against the sun. Therefore, having a balanced diet is important within a healthy lifestyle if we want to avoid suffering a malignant tumor.
Food is greatly related to our present and future health. This does not mean that cancer diseases can be prevented through a specific diet, or that if we have developed any type of tumor, the cause is our way of eating.
It is difficult to link the consumption of a natural food with the disease, but it must be recognized that contaminants that are recognized as carcinogens can be found in food. You can rely on cures for cancer natural. These carcinogenic substances that we can find in food are mainly:
- Aflatoxins: Produced by fungi in corn and nuts. There is high evidence of its association with liver cancer risk.
- Dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): can be found in animal fats (animal liver), dairy products, and fish.
- Benzopyrene: This is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that is formed when foods rich in fat or protein are over-roasted or burned.
- Arsenic: present in running water and irrigation waters. There is strong evidence that it increases the risk of lung cancer.
- Some nitrosamines: they can be formed from nitrites and nitrates that are used as additives in meats and sausages.
- Some steroid hormones: estrogens, androgens, and progesterone.
The World Health Organization (WHO) published a controversial report in 2015 where it warned of the consumption of red meat and processed meat due to its relationship with the risk of suffering from this type of cancer. After a review of the existing scientific literature, in this report they listed red meat as probably carcinogenic and processed meat as carcinogenic to humans. Specifically, it was said that consuming 50 grams a day of processed meat increased the risk of colon and rectal cancer by 18%.
Relationship between food and tumors
Alcohol is probably the most carcinogenic substance that we are consuming on a regular basis in India. Ethanol and acetaldehyde in alcoholic beverages are carcinogenic. There is high scientific evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancer of the breast, intestine, liver, oral cavity, pharynx and larynx.
Here is a summary table that relates food to cancer in the following way:
- Dark green color: Strong scientific evidence that consuming this food reduces the risk.
- Medium green color: Eating that food probably lowers your risk.
- Light green color: Limited scientific evidence that its consumption reduces the risk.
- Dark red color: Strong scientific evidence that consuming this food increases the risk.
- Medium red color: Eating that food likely increases your risk.
- Light red color: Limited scientific evidence that its use increases the risk.
