Can excess sugar consumption cause cancer?
contributed by Zunayet Karim
Sugar is a key component of our diet; it is the main fuel for our body. At least 50 to 60 percent of our daily calories should come from carbohydrates- the major source of sugar. Excess dietary sugar is a major health concern worldwide. Obesity is an epidemic which is directly related to consumption of excess sugary food in our everyday life. Scientists have found several deadly cancers linked to excess dietary sugar. Breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancer has direct and indirect correlation with over-consumption of sugar, according to several studies published in peer-reviewed journal. The following are some of the studies linking excess sugar to development of the aforementioned cancers.
- Elevated blood sugar level is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study British Journal of Cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US.
- According to Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) regular consumption of sugary beverages is associated with a three times greater risk of prostate cancer and higher intake of processed lunch foods such as pizza, burgers and meat sandwiches doubled prostate cancer risk.
- Sugars in Western diets increase risk for breast cancer tumors and metastasis, according to an epidemiologic study published in Cancer Research.
- Consuming a diet with a high glycemic index, a classification of how rapidly carbohydrates elevate blood sugar levels, was independently associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer in non-Hispanic whites, according to a new epidemiologic study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Though the exact mechanism how sugar plays the role in developing cancer is still not very clear, there is already overwhelming scientific evidence linking these two. The message is very clear: moderation, moderation and moderation when it comes to sugar.
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