In a recent study of 104 980 participants, for every 10% increase in processed food, there was a 12% increase in the risk of overall cancer and an 11% increase for the risk of breast cancer.

This includes people who eat processed foods 3 or more times a day, including highly processed breakfast cereals, take-aways, or who eat prepackaged foods for dinner and lunch. This is not food. These same people develop a myriad of adverse health conditions and wonder why they are sick. Then later they develop cancer and wonder why. No person wants to die of cancer, however, with the exception of smoking, what we eat has a huge impact on our risk of cancer and of course every other form of chronic illness. Processed foods often have a higher content of processed and saturated fat, added sugar and salt, along with a lower fibre and low nutrient density, with low vitamin, minerals and plant based nutrients. They contribute to inflammation, oxidation and acidosis which is what feeds cancers and other chronic illness (see my book “Overcoming illness”).

In addition, it has newly created carcinogenic contaminants such as acrylamide, heterocyclic amines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as a result of heat treating the food. Packaged processed foods might also contain contaminants from the wrapping including phthalates and bisphenol A or food additives sodium nitrite in processed meat, titanium dioxide (TiO2, white food pigment) or emulsifiers now linked with gut illness and thought to cause cancer.

Not to mention the impact processed foods can have on your gut health.

How much processed foods are you eating this week?