This article was originally published in the Hamilton County Herald on May 15, 2012.
Cancers of every type abound in today’s society, and as we move further away from homemade meals made with fresh meats, fruits and vegetables to fast foods and prepared, packaged meals, the threat of developing this life-changing and sometimes fatal disease increases, despite new advances in medicine.
The pancreas is a small gland near the stomach that releases digestive enzymes into the intestine and secretes insulin, our blood sugar regulator. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include advanced age (50 years or older), smoking, diabetes, and a history of inflammation of the pancreas. And now there is evidence that some of the foods we consume also increase the risks.
In a recent study, researchers found that people who ate the most processed meats; hot dogs, bacon, jerky, cold cuts, and sausage, had as much as a 67 percent increase in their risk of pancreatic cancer. However, fresh fish, poultry and eggs were not associated with the increase.
The increase is thought to be due to chemical reactions that occur during the preparation of processing these meats, which can produce carcinogenic chemicals.
A seven-year study of about 200,000 men and women conducted in the 1990s yielded the following results:
• People who consumed over 40 grams a day of processed meats (one hot dog is 56g) were 67 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who consumed the lowest amounts.
• Those who ate over 70 grams a day of red meat and/or pork showed a 50 percent increase in their risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Eating fish, poultry, dairy products and eggs does not appear to increase risks of pancreatic cancer.
Nearly all processed meats are made with sodium nitrite, including canned soup products, and some nutritionists claim that sodium nitrite is a dangerous, cancer-causing ingredient that has no place in the human food supply.
Consumers can help reduce the cancer-causing effects of sodium nitrite by consuming protective antioxidants before meals, such as vitamin C and vitamin E. However, no vitamin offers 100 percent protection. The only safe strategy is to avoid sodium nitrite. Fresh meats are almost never prepared with sodium nitrite.
Make a conscious effort to minimize consumption of processed meats, and increase fruits with high amounts of antioxidants. Your pancreas will thank you.