Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for overall wellbeing.
In fact, according to one dietitian, it can also influence how we age. Nichole, who goes by the name oncology.nutrition.rd on TikTok, is renowned for her health advice and recently highlighted a common food that could potentially increase cancer risk.
She revealed that consuming 50g of this everyday meat could raise the risk of illness “by 18%”. In a recent video, she explained two things that could seriously impact long-term health.
Nichole said: “As a cancer dietitian I talk about how there are only two foods that increase your cancer risk. Alcohol is number one – it’s going to increase risk of seven different cancers, and then processed meat, which are those pre-cooked meats in the grocery store that increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
“So this is relative risk, it can increase your risk more and more over time, the more that you have compared to someone who hasn’t had any of those. Some people will be like ‘oh, it’s only a few percentages, or 15%, like that’s not that much.’
“You obviously haven’t had cancer. You obviously haven’t known anyone to have cancer. Do you think anyone will want to increase their risk?”
The clip has already racked up hundreds of views since being uploaded, with viewers eager to voice their thoughts and share their stories in the comments section. One viewer expressed: “Exactly. Stage 4 NHL here. This information is extremely important.”
Another simply said: “Well said!” Meanwhile, a third chimed in with: “Alcohol shouldn’t even be considered food!”
Does processed meat increase risk of cancer?
There’s a well-established connection between consuming processed meat and a heightened chance of getting colorectal cancer – that’s cancer affecting your colon or rectum. Research indicates that eating these meats can play a role in whether you’ll develop cancer, but it’s not a guaranteed outcome.
Added nitrates and nitrites in processed meats can create compounds that potentially harm DNA. Examples include products like bacon, sandwich ham, corned beef and certain sausages such as hot dogs, salami and pepperoni – basically, anything cured, salted, smoked or otherwise preserved.
Alcohol can also increase cancer risk. It can cause cells to divide more often, raising the odds of something going wrong, leading to cancer.
Naturally, higher alcohol consumption could mean greater risk, though it’s not a given that you’ll develop cancer from drinking booze or eating processed meat.