Oral Cancer Risk Could Be Raised by This Common Food

A study of more than 450,000 adults found that every additional 30 grams of processed meat consumed daily was associated with a 9% higher risk of gastric cancer and a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma People who ate the most processed meat had a 46% higher risk of gastric cancer and more than double the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma compared to those who ate the least Research on oral cancer found that smoked, fried, roasted, and other heavily heat-treated meats were linked to greater risk, with smoked meat emerging as the strongest independent risk factor High-temperature cooking creates compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) — compounds identified as mutagenic and carcinogenic that may damage DNA and contribute to the cancer process over time Replacing processed meats with minimally processed protein sources, choosing gentler cooking methods, and building meals around vegetables may help reduce long-term exposure to dietary compounds associated with cancer risk