(NaturalNews) Cancer is one of the most influential diseases in the world. It attacks individuals no matter what their age, race, intellect or gender. It can affect one or all parts of the body. It can move extremely fast, or take several years to advance. One thing that has been found to be consistent during the many research studies that have been performed is that certain factors have a dramatic impact on a person's risk of contracting the dread disease. Of those factors, food is one that almost all of them share, either directly or indirectly. Several foods have proven through various studies to increase a person's risk of contracting different types of cancer. They include:

Processed meats and foods

Hot dogs, lunch meats and other processed foods are full of chemicals and preservatives that are added to prolong shelf life. These additives not only cause the foods to be toxic, they also destroy what little nutritive value they contain.

GMOs

GMOs, genetically modified organisms, are foods that have been altered genetically to produce more or grow faster than their natural counterparts. The problem with foods that are genetically altered at a cellular level is that even though they are technically the same, they will not react the same once they enter the human body. They will not have the exact same level of nutrition or grow in the same way as their natural family members. Much like cloning, the food may look, smell and taste the same, but alterations can cause mutations within the cells that scientists have not accounted for.

Non organic foods

Non organic foods are those that are grown with the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Fruits and vegetables that are repeatedly treated with these chemicals absorb them through their skin or peels. Once the chemicals are inside the food, they cannot be washed away, and therefore, are digested as the become part of our dinner fare. The majority of these chemicals are toxic and, when ingested, can dramatically increase a person's risk of developing various types of cancer.

Charred foods

Charred foods do not necessarily increase a person's risk of contracting cancer. The charred or burnt areas of the food are the main cause of the increase. Charring causes carcinogens to be formed during the cooking process. Consuming portions that are burnt or charred is what increases a person's overall risk. If a piece of food becomes burnt, just cutting away the charred area will substantially reduce the person's risk.

Artificial sweeteners and flavorings

Several artificial sweeteners and flavorings have been proven to increase a person's risk of cancer. Aspartame, Splenda and saccharine are currently being closely monitored to determine if their chemical makeup is responsible for increasing a consumer's risk of developing different types of cancers.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.sampateek.com

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org

http://www.care2.com

About the author:
Sofiya has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments,health insurance, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.