If fruits and vegetables should be consumed without moderation, certain foods, conversely, should be avoided to prevent the development of cancer. So to best inform you in your choices, nutritionist Matthew Lambert, head of information and health promotion at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), wanted to share his advice.
As he explained to the Daily Mail, five foods in particular should be avoided. Starting with processed meat. Hams, sausages, pâté, nuggets, meatballs: these foods are transformed by salting, maturation, fermentation, smoking or by other processes implemented to enhance their flavor or improve their preservation. Cooking methods that can generate potentially carcinogenic chemicals.
As a reminder, in 2015, the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans”, noting that there was “sufficient evidence from epidemiological studies” to establish this link. Therefore, the American Heart Association recommends limiting processed meat to 100 grams per week, or about two servings.
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Sweet and fried foods to avoid
At the same time, nutritionist Matthew Lambert also recommends avoiding or limiting meat, particularly red (beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton) associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, but also to avoid alcohol consumption which increases the risk of cancer of the mouth and throat, larynx, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver and breast.
Finally, even if thousands of people love them, sweet and fried foods should be avoided as much as possible. “This includes foods like cakes, biscuits, pastries, crisps, sugary drinks and fast food like pizza and burgers.” These foods are high in calories and are easily consumed in excess. Note that being overweight or obese has been linked to a higher risk of 13 types of cancer.
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“People should aim to eat more nutrient-dense foods by eating at least five servings of different fruits and vegetables every day, choosing whole grain foods, legumes like beans and lentils, as well as only unsalted nuts and seeds”, he concluded while recalling the benefits of this diet. “These types of foods are richer in nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber, which, among other things, is important for reducing the risk of bowel cancer.”
