The extra pizza slice that you had last Sunday and the burgers we all are always hungry for – You all know it is not a healthy food choice but did you know it can also increase your risk of Cancer.

We, at Capitol Hospital, providing you the best healthcare in the region will help you to become acquainted with this astonishing fact.

“Junk food” is often defined as food that is rich in calories (energy dense food) but low in nutrients. According to a research in University Of Arizona, Women who eat junk food such as burger or pizza are increasing their risk of cancer even if they are not overweight.

From the findings, we can infer that even if you are a healthy women who maintains her weight in the BMI (Body Mass Index), and indulge in ‘energy dense foods’ – such as chicken nuggets , pizza are elevating the cancer risk in your body. For instance, such women who eat junk food are 10% more likely to develop an obesity related cancer, independent of their BMI (Body Mass Index).

We can conclude from this study that it is the dietary energy density (DED) of the food that is contributing to the cancer risk. But how it increases the cancer risk is not known, just that it disturbs the working of the metabolism.

So the question here is- What is DED?

DED is a measure of food quality and the relationship of calories to nutrients. The more calories per gram of weight a food has, the higher its DED.

Whole foods – such as vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and beans – are considered low-DED foods as they have a lot of nutrients using very few calories. But processed foods, such as hamburgers and pizza, are considered high-DED foods because people need a larger amount to get their necessary nutrients.

What steps can be taken to ensure that the cancer risk is reduced.

The team of experts at Capitol will guide you through some healthy habits that can be included in your daily routine.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. They have low fat content and high fiber content and are have essential nutrients required by our body.
• Limit the amount of fat you intake daily.
• Eat healthy snacks like almonds, walnuts, organic baby carrots.
• Increase your fiber intake. It helps in constipation and lowers your glucose and cholesterol level.

The junk food should best be avoided and it is a good idea to keep these foods as just occasional treats. A fit and healthy life is a good life.