7 drinks
that may affect your cancer risk
Did you know that our bodies are more than 50 percent water?
Keeping our bodies properly hydrated is one way to stay healthy. But water
isn’t the only drink in our diets. Beverages we drink daily can cause serious
health implications, including increasing our risk for cancer.
Let’s take a look at seven popular drinks and examine whether they affect our risk for cancer.
Let’s take a look at seven popular drinks and examine whether they affect our risk for cancer.
1. Alcohol
Research has
proven a consistent causal relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer,
specifically in the head and neck, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast tissue.
Scientific evidence suggests ethanol as the primary cause of cancer in
alcoholic beverages and advises against frequent consumption or heavy drinking.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a maximum of one
drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
Although many
people believe that daily consumption of red wine (which contains the plant
antioxidant resveratrol) prevents cancer, no clinical evidence suggests this to
be true. Limit alcohol consumption to lower your risk for cancer.
2. Coffee
Recent research
indicates several likely health benefits of consuming black coffee (without
cream, sugar, and other flavorings). Researchers have found that former colon
cancer patients who drank coffee regularly had lower chances of having cancer
recur, and the American
Institute for Cancer Research notes that coffee drinkers are likely at
lower risk of endometrial cancer and liver cancer.
Because of
coffee’s antioxidant properties, some studies have found that drinking it
regularly may decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s
disease and Type
2 diabetes.
3. Green tea
Green tea contains
key plant chemicals known as catechins, a type of antioxidant. Catechins have
been shown in lab studies to slow down or prevent the growth of cancer cells
and stop tumors from spreading in body systems. Other enzymes activated in the
body by green tea protect against tumor development. Although green tea is
often proven in lab studies to prevent causes of cancer, research advises
against relying on green tea as a treatment for preexisting cancer.
4. Energy Drinks
Although there is
no scientific link between energy
drinks and cancer, doctors advise against consuming too much caffeine and
sugar, both of which are main ingredients in energy drinks. Research finds that
adults should have only one serving per day. Due to recent evidence linking
daily energy drink intake to heart abnormalities and seizures, regular
consumption of energy drinks is not recommended.
5. Sports Drinks
Sports drinks
don’t necessarily cause cancer, though researchers warn against overconsumption
of sports drinks because they contain excess sugar and carbohydrates. Without
regular exercise to offset consumption, extra calories often lead to obesity
and other health problems.
6. Soda
Researchers at the
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have found that 4-MeI,
the caramel dye in darker-colored sodas, is proven to cause or elevate the risk
of cancer. While soda manufacturers consider the chemical a byproduct of soda
production, the state of California lists 4-MeI as a known carcinogen and
actively enforces carcinogen labeling on food products known to contain the
colorant.
7. Bottled Water
Bisphenol-A or BPA
has long been a source of concern for consumers of bottled drinks. Recent
research suggests that BPA may
function as a hormone disruptor, which in turn can possibly cause cancer.
Studies have shown that BPA exposure on lab animals harms fertility and
reproductive organs even at low doses, increasing the risk for breast cancer,
prostate cancer, and metabolic disorders.
The
National Cancer Institute supports significant research into how we can
prevent cancer through lifestyle choices. By examining our daily eating and
drinking habits, we can identify small ways to make a big difference for our
health in the long run.
Proper hydration
and nutrition are key to our health, as is understanding what we put in our
bodies. The next time you pour your first cup of morning brew or head to happy
hour, keep in mind the impacts of the choices you make.
Have you recently
given up or cut back on energy drinks, alcohol, or other unhealthy beverages?
Share how you Call Out Cancer and live a healthier lifestyle.
More in: Cancer, nutrition, drinks, cancer
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