Can your choice of food reduce your chances of contracting cancer?

Diet and cancer; two very loaded and controversial words.  Put them together and BOOM!!! 

No wonder they create so much media frenzy!  Nutella, red meat, our weight; apparently they  can all cause cancer.  But what is the truth behind some of these claims and is there actually anything you CAN do to reduce cancer risk?  

Does Nutella cause cancer?

Let’s start with Nutella.  In May 2016 a European food safety agency reported that
carcinogenic compounds can be found in refined palm oil which Nutella contains.
Three compounds were highlighted; GE (Glycidol Ester), 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD.  
The worst of these is GE which can damage DNA and lead to the development of cancer cells. 
But GE isn’t confined to palm oil as this chart from Examine demonstrates:

It is important to note here that the report wasn’t actually about Nutella like we were led
to believe; it was about GE which we can see is contained in many other
cooking oils and fats.  Furthermore, GE is formed at much higher temperatures than Nutella
uses in its manufacturing process and is highly present in other processed foods such as
crisps and baked goods.  

The report further highlighted that babies, particularly those formula fed, and children
consume much more GE than adults:

So infant formula, crisps and biscuits actually seem to be a bigger risk than Nutella
and it’s actually our children we need to worry about!  This is likely because adults tend
to have a more varied diet with foods that don’t contain GE; a stark reminder to all parents
out there of the importance of providing our children with a balanced diet high in whole foods

Another thing the press failed to highlight is that this study actually made no human
observations; all tests were carried out with rats which places great limitations on
the evidence.

Will eating red meat cause cancer?

Red meat hit the headlines in December 2017 when this paper summarised over 800
studies and came to these conclusions:

(Cancer Research UK)

Whilst it strongly linked processed red meat to cancer, it is important to note that this
referred only to cancers of the colon and rectum.  Also it is isn’t really new information – we
have known this for years.  Furthermore, most of the evidence was observational which
basically means we can’t be sure what the actual cause of cancer was.  Oh and one more
thing to consider is the quantity of processed red meat consumed; a bacon sandwich on
Sunday morning is unlikely to have any damaging effects and is very different to having
sausages, burgers and ham at every meal.  As I discussed in my blog
about ‘ultra-processed’ foods, a little bit of what you fancy won’t kill you!

When considering red meat in your diet, not only is it necessary to distinguish between
processed and unprocessed versions, we must understand exactly what constitutes red meat.
 Pork is red meat due to its high myoglobin content which when processed or cooked, could
be the cause of cancer.  So not all red meats are the same but the one thing they have in
common is myoglobin; it is however the amount of and how processed this is that matters.  
Hence why processed versions are classified as ‘Group 1 – causes cancer’ while the link with
unprocessed versions is much weaker.  So basically, and as with any other food source, the
more processed your red meat, the higher the risk.  An organic steak will hardly have the
same impact as a cheap burger.

So how does myoglobin in red meat cause cancer?  Well there are 5 culprits; NOC’s, heat

compounds, TMAO and Neu5Gc.  To avoid going in to the science too much I will briefly

focus on the 2 main factors; NOC’s and heat compounds.

NOC’s  

These are chemicals that are produced in our gut from the read pigment of meat; they
damage the gut lining so that it is forced to repair itself which over time creates DNA damage.
 If you were paying attention during the Nutella debate, then you will know that this damage
can cause cancer cells to develop.  There is some good news for you red meat lovers
though; green chlorophyll can reduce the chemical process in the gut so having some green
veg with your steak can reduce any risks.

Heat Compounds

Overcooking meat to a ‘charred’ state also creates chemicals like HCA’s that are harmful to
the gut.  But good news again; these effects may be mitigated through cruciferous vegetables
like broccoli and sprouts.  What more, if you like a kick to your meat then you’re in
luck again…spices and marinades can reduce HCA’s.

So whilst there is strong evidence to suggest that red meat is associated with cancer, risks
can be big or small depending on:

• Type of red meat – processed or unprocessed
• Regularity of consumption

• Diet as a whole

As with anything, balance is the key so if you enjoy red meat, go ahead and eat it!  Just
make sure you incorporate it within the context of a healthy diet that is high in unprocessed,
whole foods – this can make all the difference.

Does obesity cause cancer?

Last but by no means least is the most recent claim that obesity CAUSES cancer!  This is on
the back of a media campaign by cancer research uk:

Whilst they say they are just trying to raise awareness of the link between cancer and
obesity, some of their literature is claiming that being overweight causes cancer:

This is an inaccurate interpretation of the research that actually highlighted how obesity
is associated with more forms of cancer than we previously believed; it did not prove that
it causes cancer.  It was yet another observational study over a period of 28 years that saw
a 33% increase of cancer amongst obese people.  The exact cause of cancer cannot be
concluded from the evidence and there are likely to have been a number of lifestyle factors
associated with obesity that cannot be accounted for.  It does however highlight how being
overweight impacts on a person’s health and this needs to be tackled through a sensible diet. 

So whilst there is some truth behind the smoke screen, one can’t help but think we are being
scaremongered through clever propaganda and once the truth is revealed, it dilutes what is a
very important lifestyle message.

Can my diet really reduce cancer risks?

To sum up I think the message coming through is clear; carcinogens are everywhere but it is
the amount your body is exposed to them that is crucial.  That means that there certainly are
things you can do within your diet to reduce your risks:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• If you are overweight, follow a sensible calorie controlled diet
• Keep your intake of refined foods to a minimum; don’t deprive, 80/20 is a good rule to follow

• Eat red meat once or twice a week and keep processed versions to a minimum

• Include plenty of unprocessed, whole food in your diet
• Up your greens.

However I think it is also important to recognise that there are many other lifestyle choices
that have been linked to cancer that are beyond the scope of this blog, smoking and alcohol
for example.   At the end of the day though, food is something that not a single one of us can
avoid so respect your bodies and remember, you are what you eat!!

This Blog was brought to you by Rebecca Flannery; Trainee Nutritionist at Transformational Nutrition.
 Please check me out by visiting my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/TransNutrition1/ or
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