Changing your diet can do wonders when it comes to lowering your risk of cancer. One of the best things you can do for your overall health—and, in turn, disease prevention—is add healthy, whole foods to your plate. But just as there are plenty of great options out there, there are also a few foods you should be careful of if you want to keep your risk of cancer as low as possible. Luckily, the list isn’t very long—in fact, cancer dietitian Nichole Andrews, who frequently shares nutrition tips on TikTok, says there are only two things you need to cut out of your diet. That includes one type of meat.
Andrews warns that processed meats can cause serious harm to your body when consumed in excess, ultimately increasing your risk of cancer. However, there are plenty of great alternatives to swap out if you’re looking to improve your health. Read on to learn more about the risk of processed meats and find a list of 25 alternatives recommended by Andrews.
Processed Meats and Cancer Risk
We love bacon, hot dogs, and salami as much as the next person. What's not to love about salty, savory goodness, especially when it's on a sandwich or stacked with cheese and crackers? The unfortunate truth, though, according to Andrews, is that you may want to think twice before digging into that charcuterie board, especially if you want to lower your risk of cancer.
Processed meats can do a lot of damage to your health for several reasons. In a recent TikTok, Andrews warns that these tasty meats are sadly one of the only foods proven to lead to cancer. Options like hot dogs, deli meats, sausages, and bacon are a major concern.
Processed meats are cured, smoked, or preserved in other ways that can create harmful chemicals like nitrates and nitrites, which can convert into carcinogenic compounds in the body, making them one of the few foods that can increase your risk of cancer. The World Health Organization has even classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen. That means there's strong evidence supporting the fact that they could lead to cancer. So the next time you're craving a hot dog, consider if it's worth it.
@oncology.nutrition.rd Protein is needed for body maintenance, growth, and repair! And there are so many amazing choices! The only proteins to skip are processed meats (wcrf.org): hot dogs, bacon, deli meats, chorizo, and other precooked meats as the preserving and high heat causes them to contain carcinogenic byproducts, so let’s save this post and SHARE to help others omit them and reduce colon cancer risk Protein is present in almost all body cells and has many functions, such as: Formation and maintenance of muscles, connective tissues, red blood cells, enzymes, and hormones. Transporting many body compounds, as well as medications. Maintaining the balance of body fluids. Fighting infections and strengthening immunity. Generally, your diet provides enough protein; however, while undergoing surgery or treatment for cancer, your protein needs increase! Therefore, it is important to be aware of the food sources of proteins that are safe for you! What are some food sources of protein? Protein is found in both animal and plant foods. Animal sources of protein include: * Red Meat (beef, lamb, pork and no more than 18 oz per wk) * Poultry (chicken, turkey) * Fish and seafood * Eggs * Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) Plant sources of protein include: * Nuts (almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, macadamia, peanuts). * Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame). * Tofu. * Legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils). Grains (cereals, breads and rice) and vegetables contain a small amount of protein. Want to chat more about how you can transform your eating habits and live your healthiest life? DM me “1:1 coaching” and let’s build a plan that works for YOU! 💬 #breastcancerjourney #lungcancerawareness #bravetheshave #lymphomaawareness #livercancer #kidneycancer #prostatecancerawareness #radiationtherapy #hormonetherapy #sarcomaawareness #cancerresearchUK #pancreaticcancer #lymphoma #ovariancancer #prostatecancer #cancerfree#cancerwarrior#cancerfighter #oncology #breastcancersurvivor #cancerresearch #chemotherapy #chemo #cancerpatient#cancerawarenessmonth #oncologynurses#cancercure#cancernation #breastcancercare #cancermotivation ♬ son original - Spoticlip
Healthy protein alternatives
The good thing is that there's no shortage of healthy proteins out there to choose in place of processed meat. Andrews recommends the following:
- Chicken breast
- Turkey breast
- Halibut
- Salmon
- Shrimp
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Quinoa
- Cottage cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Edamame
- Beef
- Scallops
- Protein powder
- Protein drinks
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- Seitan
- Cow’s milk
- Almonds
As she notes throughout her videos, the key to a cancer-preventing diet is choosing whole foods in place of processed options. And while you don't need to go vegetarian, the more plant foods (like fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins) the better.
Happy eating!
