Your Sweet Tooth Could Increase Your Cancer Risk

Does sugar raise your cancer risk? That’s what a lot of people think. The truth is that cancer cells have no particular love for sugar. They’ll feed on the same substances consumed by all the other cells in your body.

But that doesn’t mean you should eat sweets with abandon. There is a connection between eating sugar and your potential for developing more than a dozen different cancers. The link is created when that sugar leads to weight gain and obesity.

Obesity and Cancer Risk

It is well known that obesity can increase your risk for several chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke and heart disease. But studies have also shown links between obesity and 13 different types of cancer.

Among the most common examples of this are breast and gastrointestinal (esophagus, stomach, colorectal, pancreas and liver) cancers. Better nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and lower weight can reduce risk for those cancers by up to 40 percent.

Other obesity-related cancers:

• Uterus
• Gallbladder
• Kidneys
• Ovaries
• Thyroid
• Meningioma (a type of brain cancer)
• Multiple myeloma

Does That Mean no Sweets?

No one is suggesting you have to give up sweets and carbohydrates to avoid cancer. In fact, carbs often get a bad rap when it comes to diets. These macronutrients are your body’s primary food source and essential to a well-balanced diet.

Ideally, you will consume carbs through fruits, vegetables, whole grains and some dairy products. These are high quality carbs, accompanied by proteins and vitamins. Problems arise when your carbs fall under the umbrella of added sugar – which is there for flavor, without adding any nutritional value.

A healthy diet will limit the amount of added sugars, focusing instead on healthier sources. For the average adult, added sugars should represent no more than 6 percent of your daily caloric intake, according to the American Heart Association. That’s 100 calories (about 25 grams of sugar) for women and 150 calories (about 38 grams of sugar) for men.

Those calories can accumulate very quickly. Consider that a single can of soda can have around 40 grams of added sugar. You’ll find 15 grams in a packet of flavored oatmeal, 20 grams in many sports drinks and 12 grams or more in a single serving (as little as three fourths of a cup) of sweetened breakfast cereal.

There’s nothing wrong with the occasional treat. But just know when you are eating that added sugar to maximize your satisfaction and pleasure.

Strategies for Reducing Risk

The most important thing you can do is make a habit out of reading the nutritional labels on your food. You may be surprised at the number of products that contain added sugars. Also keep in mind that the nutritional label may list added sugars under a variety of names, including:

• Brown sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Fruit juice concentrates
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Malt sugar
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sugar molecules ending in “ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose and sucrose)
• Syrup

Other strategies include:

Choose natural over added sugars. For example, instead of eating flavored yogurt, choose something like Greek yogurt, adding fresh fruit, nuts and granola.

Mix protein or fat with your carbs. Snacking on fruit can be rewarding, but you may be hungry again 30 minutes later. Pair that apple with a handful of nuts or a hard-boiled egg.

Drop the sugary drinks. Water is your best bet. But if you need some flavor, try unsweetened tea or diet drinks.

Try other spices. Instead of seeking flavor from sugar, try ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Use sugar substitutes. You don’t want to rely too heavily on low- and no-calorie substitutes that mimic sugar, but they can help you transition to a diet less reliant on added sugars.

Keep your weight down. Weight management is about more than just your diet. Staying active and exercising can help shed pounds and reduce obesity-related risks.