Cancer, a life-threatening disease, can be caused by a number of factors like genetics, environmental toxins, smoking tobacco, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and a poor diet, among others. Here, we look at two common foods that may contribute to cancer: meat and alcohol.

Meat
With meat production and its consumption constantly on the rise, it is becoming one of the prime foods that may contribute to cancer. All types of meat are not healthy for the body, especially when the consumption is excessive, and the biggest cause of concern for cancer is the consumption of red meat, a type that includes the following meat:

• Beef that comes from cattle
• Veal, the meat of young cattle/calves
• Pork from pigs
• Chevon, which is the meat from goats
• Mutton, the meat of lamb or sheep

All these contain an intense concentration of a protein called myoglobin. While consuming meat occasionally is not an issue, the fat content, how these meats are processed, and the method of its preparation matter a lot in how they affect the body after consumption. The World Health Organization has classified red meats, especially processed meats, as toxic carcinogens. Usually, sausages, hot dogs, salami, ham, cured bacon, smoked meat, beef jerky, and dried or canned meat all go through the curing, salting, smoking, drying, and/or canning process and are harmful to health.

While there is no conclusive evidence, studies have observed a strong link between people eating excessive amounts of processed meats and developing an increased risk of chronic diseases like hypertension, heart disease, and bowel and stomach cancers. Chemical additives like nitrite are added when meat is processed, and these form poisonous N-nitroso compounds. When the meat is grilled or deep-fried, nitrosamines are produced, which cause cancer. Similarly, heterocyclic amines, another compound that causes colon, breast, or prostate cancer, is formed when red meat is grilled or deep-fried. During traditional meat preserving processes like smoking, salting, and drying, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon compounds, another significant cause of cancer, are created. So, it is best to avoid the consumption of red meat, especially on a daily basis.

Alcohol
Drinking alcohol like beer, red and white wine, or hard liquor excessively can cause cancer, and especially the parts of the body that continuously come in direct contact with these substances are at high risk of developing cancer. Also, drinking alcohol every day may result in hampering the breakdown of the estrogen hormone, increasing its concentration in the blood. This food may contribute to cancer if the consumption is beyond acceptable limits, which also results in unnecessary weight gain and can lead to obesity. Using tobacco products, pregnancy, and the presence of other comorbidities increase one’s risk of developing cancer manifold if they also indulge in heavy alcohol consumption. Finally, the ethanol content of alcohol and Acetaldehyde, a compound formed during the digestion of alcohol, are both toxic. All these factors increase the risk of certain types of cancer, like breast, ovary, or uterus cancers, in women.