In today’s high-tech world of internet accessibility, social media, and information overload, we can easily become confused with who and what to believe. One topic of interest focuses on cancer prevention and what foods can help or hinder our overall risks. The American Cancer Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund have estimated that 30-40% of all cancers are preventable to an extent through appropriate diets, physical activity, and maintaining appropriate body weight. 

Below are a few examples of beneficial foods that help lower our overall risk of cancer and what types of foods to limit.

15 Cancer Nutrition Myths Debunked

1. MYTH: Sugar causes cancer.
FACT: All our cells, cancerous or not, use glucose for energy. Our body doesn’t pick and choose which cells get what fuel.

2. MYTH: Acidic diets cause cancer.
FACT: There’s no good evidence to prove that diet can manipulate whole body pH, or that it has an impact on cancer.

3. MYTH: Breast cancer survivors should avoid soy and flax.
FACT: Major population studies show that eating soy in moderate amounts – 1 to 2 standard servings a day – does not increase a woman’s risk for cancer recurrence and does not show harmful interaction with anti-estrogen medications.

4. MYTH: Superfoods prevent cancer.
FACT: There’s no such thing as a ‘superfood’. It’s a marketing term used to sell products and has no scientific basis. it’s a gross oversimplification to say that any one food, on its own, could have a major influence on your chance of developing cancer.

5. MYTH: Taking a multivitamin lowers my cancer risk.
FACT: Research suggests that taking a multivitamin or other supplement does not lower our cancer risk. In some cases, high doses of supplements have even been shown to increase risk.

6. MYTH: There is a miracle cancer cure.
FACT: YouTube videos and Facebook posts are emphatically not scientific evidence and aren’t the same as good-quality, peer-reviewed evidence.

7. MYTH: Hormones in milk and meat cause cancer.
FACT: There is no data to suggest that hormones present in milk can survive digestion or produce components that would have biological effects. Hormone receptors in the human do not recognize cow hormones and cannot produce effects in humans.

8. MYTH: Pesticides cause cancer, so you should eat organic.
FACT: No studies have shown that people who consume organic foods have better health outcomes.

9. MYTH: Teflon pans cause cancer.
FACT: The EPA does not indicate that the routine use of consumer products poses a concern. Currently, there are no steps that EPA recommends consumers take to reduce exposure to PFOA.

10. MYTH: Leaving water bottles in your car will cause cancer.
FACT: BPA is the chemical in question regarding questions about plastic safety. Use plastics as written on the container label.

11. MYTH: Microwaves cause cancer.
FACT: The rays in a microwave do not have enough power to damage DNA and, therefore cannot cause cancer.

12. MYTH: Your body needs a ‘cleanse’ to eliminate toxins that cause cancer.
FACT: There is no scientific evidence that any ‘cleansing’ products or procedures remove toxins in the body. Our liver and kidneys do that!

13. MYTH: Raw foods are more nutritious than cooked foods.
FACT: Some nutrients are deactivated during the cooking process, but some are activated. Consuming food items cooked and raw are both nutritious ways to eat.

14. MYTH: Artificial sweeteners cause cancer.
FACT: Current conclusions from well-designed studies do not show a clear causal relationship between artificial sweeteners and cancer.

15. MYTH: GMO foods cause cancer.
FACT: Current data can’t confirm whether or not GMOs increase cancer risks. Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains outweighs any GMO health concerns regarding cancer risks.

All in all, there is no quick fix or solution to eliminate 100% of cancer risks due to multiple factors, including genetic predispositions and environmental exposures. The best we can do for ourselves is try our best. Eat a healthy, balanced diet when available, strive for adequate physical exercise, maintain an appropriate weight, and aim for quality rest and sleep.

We recommend talking with your healthcare provider about further steps towards detecting malignancies early on, such as cancer screening tests, genetic testing, and maintaining yearly physical exams are a few important steps. Please get in touch with your healthcare team or provider for more information.