4 cancers you can get from the junk food aisle

We all know that junk food isn’t good for us…

But oh, it tastes like it is! From donuts and cookies to chips, popcorn, and French fries, it’s easy to understand why so many of us are absolutely addicted.

And, even though you know it’s bad for your waistline and can lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, it’s easy to write off those risks and make just one more trip through the drive-thru or one more pass down the snack aisle.

Unfortunately, new research has shown that you may be risking far more than weight gain and blood sugar problems when you reach for that brown bag filled with salty goodness or that pint of your favorite ice cream.

In fact, according to a study by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, you could be significantly upping your risk of cancer…

How does your diet stack up?

The researchers performed an epic study to determine how much impact the nutritional content of your diet plays in whether or not you end up with cancer down the road.

They analyzed the food intake data from 471,495 adults and followed up with them for over 15 years to determine who became a victim of the disease.

And, they found that the people who regularly ate healthier food choices were far less likely to suffer from cancer while the more junk food people ate, the higher the likelihood they would end up with cancer of the:

1. Colon-rectum
2. Upper digestive tract and stomach
3. Lung (for men)
4. Liver and postmenopausal breast for women

Now, let’s just take a look at that list for second…

The top five deadliest cancers you could end up with are lung, breast, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate… and just eating junk food increases your risk for three of them!

I don’t know about you but that makes me want to skip my traditional Saturday morning donut run.

Kicking the junk food habit

But, how do you give up all the tasty treats you love so much?

Well, the first thing you need to know is that eating junk food makes you crave it more.

One reason is that most of them contain Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) — an additive to keep fats and oils from going rancid that prevents your stomach from telling your brain it’s full, sending your appetite into overdrive.

It’s a vicious circle. Give yourself grace if you slip but do your best to cut out the bad stuff as completely and quickly as possible so that you don’t get sucked back in.

One of the most effective ways to kick your junk food addiction is to replace your bad habits with a better one.

Love pasta but don’t know when to say when? Try replacing it with a healthier option of brown rice.

Find yourself reaching for a bag of chips when you’re watching TV at night? Try your hand at making your own homemade baked veggie chips. Slice paper-thin wedges of your favorite vegetables, drizzle and toss in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake in your oven.

Sources:

1. Eating foods with low nutritional quality ratings linked to cancer risk in large European cohort — PLOS
2. Top 5 Deadliest Cancers — WebMD