Diet and Cancer: Popular Myths Debunked

The way we eat undoubtedly has a huge impact on our lives. After all, "you are what you eat", and by maintaining a balanced diet, we provide our body with all the substances necessary for its proper functioning. However, can diet protect us from getting cancer? A lot of myths have arisen around this topic, which, despite increasing awareness, still circulate among the public.

A healthy diet - what does it mean?

This concept keeps many people awake at night. A healthy diet consists of products that provide all the ingredients necessary for the proper functioning of the body. The groups of products that play a very important role in it are vegetables and fruits. When completing a meal, we should allocate as much as half of the plate to it. Both vegetables and fruits are sources of fiber. It plays an important role in the diet because it is responsible for the proper peristalsis of the intestines and makes the feeling of fullness last much longer.

It can also be found in wholegrain products – wholegrain bread, brown pasta, rice and groats. Moreover, its presence in the diet significantly reduces the risk of developing cancers of the digestive system, in particular colon cancer. The high consumption of processed and red meat is responsible for the increased risk. For this reason, it is worth introducing meatless days into the diet, during which the meat will be replaced by legumes, e.g. chickpeas, lentils or tofu. On meat days, on the other hand, we should choose low-processed meat – fish or chicken breast.

The most common myths about diet and cancer

Substances that directly cause the development of neoplasms are known as carcinogenic. There are relatively few carcinogenic food products, and in most cases we are dealing with products that increase the risk of neoplastic changes, but do not constitute their direct cause. Many myths have arisen around a large part of the products, which we decided to debunk.

Acrylamide

Acrylamide is a substance that occurs naturally when food is processed for long periods at high temperatures. It can be found in foods that have burned during cooking. For a long time there was a belief that such products should not be eaten anymore, precisely because of the alleged carcinogenic properties. Acrylamide is also found in cookies, bread, crisps and even coffee, and according to Cancer Research UK, studies have found no association between acrylamide consumption and increased cancer incidence.

Soy

Soybean products have been associated with the development of cancers, especially breast cancer. The reason for this is the isoflavones found in soy, the chemical structure of which resembles that of estrogens, i.e. female hormones. Their high concentration in the body has been associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer. However, as the Mayo Clinic points out, research shows otherwise. Soy products contain a small amount of isoflavones, therefore they pose no risk to the body, and if consumed in moderate amounts, they may contribute to reducing the risk.

Superfoods

Superfoods are products that are distinguished by a high density of nutrients - vitamins and minerals. The widespread opinion that eating them significantly improves overall health and lowers the risk of cancer has not been clearly confirmed by studies.

Sweeteners

Until recently, it was believed that sweeteners (especially artificial ones, such as e.g. aspartame) were the direct cause of cancer development. They can be found in many foods labeled "zero" – with no sugar. Studies conducted by many independent institutions, including the European Food Safety Authority, have shown that consuming sweeteners in moderate amounts does not adversely affect the human body.

For more information on the anti-cancer diet, see The Anti-Cancer Diet: Cancer Diet: Foods to Help you Power Through Treatment

What foods should you avoid?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, led by the World Health Organization, has created a classification of carcinogenic agents and substances, in which a total of 5 groups have been distinguished. Group 1 consists of factors and substances with a clearly carcinogenic effect on people – smoking, solar radiation, smog, asbestos, etc. This group also includes processed meat and alcohol. In group 2A. you can find possibly carcinogens like DDT (a strong insect repellent) and glyphosate (herbicite), as well as red meat. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) that focused on colorectal cancer showed that both red meat and processed meat are overall carcinogenic and also associated with the development of breast and prostate cancer. The carcinogenicity of these products is primarily due to the substances that appear during its thermal processing. Alcohol also showed a carcinogenic effect on humans. This means that consuming it for a long time, often and in large amounts, can cause irreversible changes in many organs – not just the liver.

A few words of summary

When making changes to the diet, we do not have to completely give up our favorite dishes. However, it's a good idea to keep them to a minimum or choose healthier, less processed alternatives. What will it do for us? We will certainly lower the risk of health problems, which applies not only to cancer, but also to many other diseases – diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, osteoporosis, etc.