The 6 foods and drinks I would NEVER allow in my home as a doctor – for fear of cancer and deadly heart conditions
IT’S easy to go about your weekly food shop without much thought or consideration.
You might just mindlessly follow the same well-trodden path around your local supermarket, not thinking about what you're putting in the trolley.
And how many of us are guilty of committing the cardinal food shop sin of heading down those aisles on an empty stomach?
The result? It’s easy to fall victim to impulse buys, without stopping to consider healthier options.
Now, a leading expert has warned that some of the food and drink you habitually pick up, week in, week out, could be putting you - and your family - at risk of serious health problems.
Dr Deborah Lee, a former NHS GP turned health advice writer, tells Sun Health: "Think carefully what you have in your kitchen cupboards. It's all too easy when you are tired and hungry to eat whatever you can find."
Here, she reveals the six foods and drinks she’d never allow in her home due to links to deadly conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease.
1. RED ALERT
PROCESSED red meat, including any red meat that’s been salted, cured or smoked, such as bacon, salami, ham, sausages, pepperoni and hot dogs, has long been linked to several health risks - the big one being cancer.
“Many long-term, prospective have confirmed eating red processed meat increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer, notably bowel cancer, as well as increasing all-cause mortality,” says Dr Lee.
“In one , eating an extra 50g of red meat per day increased the risk of heart disease by 18 per cent.
“There were no such findings from people eating chicken and turkey.
“This is thought to be due to the high saturated fat content of red meat, as well as the high salt content.
“Saturated fat raises cholesterol and is linked to the development of atheroma - the laying down of fatty plaques in the arteries.
“This is the main underlying cause of cardiovascular disease - heart attacks, strokes and peripheral arterial disease.
“Eating too much salt is closely linked to high blood pressure.
“Red meat also contains chemicals called nitrosamines, which are produced during cooking and are carcinogenic.”
SWAP FOR: “Instead of processed red meat, opt for chicken, turkey fish, eggs and tofu - sometimes I use Quorn mince, although this is technically processed, eating mycoprotein has some health benefits including lowering cholesterol,” she adds.
How to lower blood pressure
Persistent high blood pressure (hypertension) puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs and it can raise your risk of serious conditions like heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. Here's how to reduce it.
Reduce salt
Adults are recommended to limit their salt to 6g per day (around one level teaspoon) to avoid health consequences including high blood pressure.
The top tip is to swap out table salt, according to the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study, replacing it with a reduced sodium and added potassium alternative.
Cut down on alcohol
Excessive boozing can narrow the blood vessels, which raises the risk of hypertension.
Official drinking guidelines advise that people should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week to keep health risks from alcohol low.
Get moving
Exercise is good for the heart and the blood vessels.
Although the guidelines recommend 150 minutes of activity per week, if you're currently very inactive, just a walk to the shop every day is better than nothing, and you can work up from there.
Studies suggest that isometric exercises - when you hold the body in one position without moving, such as a wall squat or plank - are best for lowering blood pressure.
Stop smoking
Smoking cigarettes is a killer. It makes the arteries sticky and narrow, which can cause blockages.
While smoking is not a direct cause of high blood pressure, it can cause an instant rise to pressure, heart rate and reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the body’s cells.
Skip coffee
Sadly, caffeine can cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure - even if you don't have high blood pressure.
Therefore cutting back on coffee is recommended as a lifestyle tip for those with hypertension.
Lose weight
The above tips can help you to lose weight, which is beneficial because being overweight in itself is a risk factor for hypertension.
Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body, which can raise your blood pressure.
The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test. All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.
2. BREKKING BAD
IT’S a common sight on breakfast tables to see boxes of breakfast cereals lined up.
And while they can be part of a healthy diet if they’re low in sugar and high in fibre and wholegrains, many come with hidden health dangers.
Most of our favourites are laden with sugar, which in high levels, can increase the risk of several diseases.
“In a from Action on Sugar, conducted at Queen Mary University of London, the majority of cereals tested contained above the recommended amount of sugar,” warns Dr Lee.
“Some cereals contained the equivalent of four teaspoons of sugar per serving - that’s more than one-third of the total daily sugar intake recommended for a four to six year old in just one bowl!
“Many cereals were also high in salt, and these colourful boxes are designed to appeal to children.”
According to recent NHS data, around 15 per cent of UK children aged 2-15 are obese, and 64 per cent of UK adults are overweight or obese.
Obesity in children is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer in adult life.
“Tackling obesity for both children and adults is a public emergency,” adds Dr Lee.
“Stopping foods that contain unhealthy and unnecessary amounts of sugar has to be part of the solution.
“Swap the sugary cereals for wholegrains such as porridge, which is filling, highly nutritious and full of health-giving dietary fibre, but they should not be sweetened with sugar.
“Add chopped fruit, vanilla extract, nuts and seeds instead of extra sugar. If you need to sweeten it more, use honey.”
SWAP FOR: Dr Lee adds: “Make your own muesli or granola so you know what’s in it and don’t add sugar - use cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, and seeds, and top it with Greek natural yoghurt and berries.
“Or make your own porridge and add seeds and nuts.”
3. CAN IT
ONE of the reasons to avoid canned tuna is concern over mercury toxicity.
Mercury has been linked to neurological symptoms such as poor coordination and difficulty walking.
In pregnancy, the naturally occurring element can affect brain development of the foetus.
“All fish contains mercury, but it’s particularly prevalent in tuna,” warns Dr Lee.
“Big fish eat smaller fish so that those at the top of the food chain contain the highest amounts of mercury.
“All major brands of tuna will contain some mercury. The mercury level will vary from tin to tin.
“The Food Standards Agency says that tinned tuna is safe to eat.
“But the NHS recommends a maximum of four tins of tuna per week in pregnancy - or two x 140g tuna steaks.”
SWAP FOR: Eat fish twice a week, but eat fresh fish - oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout and herring should only be eaten once a week.
“Fish and chips don’t count by the way, unless you cook it healthily yourself,” adds Dr Lee.
4. IN A FIZZ
FIZZY drinks can be good for hydration and can help with digestion, but they can also be high in sugar and calories.
Dr Lee describes them as “empty calories”.
“They have no nutritional value and cause sugar cravings, obesity and dental caries,” she says.
“There are 35g of sugar in one 330ml can of cola - this is around nine teaspoons of sugar!
“Drinking plain tap water, or fizzy water if you prefer, is the healthiest drink you can have.
“Water can be jazzed up with chopped fruit and ice if needed.”
SWAP FOR: Drink water - tap water is fine or fizzy water if you prefer.
“Make it more interesting by adding orange or lemon slices and crushed ice,” says Dr Lee.
“Cold drinks help you burn more calories!”
5. DIET JOKE
YOU might think that opting for the diet version of your favourite fizzy pop is the ‘healthy’ choice.
And they can help with weight loss and blood sugar control.
But artificially sweetened drinks are not without health risks, says to Dr Lee.
“There is growing evidence that sweeteners can contribute to obesity. They don’t help retrain your taste buds away from sugar.
“All sweeteners are in this category.
“When people stop using sweeteners they report less bloating, abdominal pain, IBS, headache and depression.
“If you need a sweetener, a preferred option is stevia - a natural plant sweetener. But even this can disrupt your microbiome.”
6. ENERGY PRICE
THEY might provide you with a boost in alertness (albeit temporary) due to their caffeine content, but energy drinks are definitely on the banned list when it comes to your health.
And they should be kept out of the home, especially if you have children, warns Dr Lee.
“Why on earth would anyone need to have an energy drink - especially children?,” she says.
“If a child doesn’t have any energy they don’t need an energy drink, they need to see a doctor.
“One 473ml can of energy drink can contain 14 teaspoons of sugar. A 250ml can contains 80mg of caffeine.
“Children under 12 are not recommended to take caffeine which can cause anxiety, insomnia and heart arrhythmias.
Recommended sugar guidelines
THE government recommends that free sugars – sugars added to food or drinks, and sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purées – should not make up more than five per cent of the energy (calories) you get from food and drink each day.
Adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, (roughly equivalent to seven sugar cubes).
Children aged seven to 10 should have no more than 24g of free sugars a day (6 sugar cubes).
Children aged four to six should have no more than 19g of free sugars a day (five sugar cubes).
There's no guideline limit for children under the age of four, but it's recommended they avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and food with sugar added to it.
Free sugars are found in foods such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and some fizzy drinks and juice drinks. These are the sugary foods we should cut down on.
Source: NHS
“Energy drinks are also harmful for teenagers and young people as they cause disruptive behaviour, are often mixed with alcohol, and are linked to the use of drugs. I would never have these in my house.”
SWAP FOR: “Milk is a first-class drink for children - it gives them plenty of protein plus calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, magnesium, zinc, and iodine,” says Dr Lee.
“Note that cow’s milk has specific health benefits that aren’t present in plant milk.
“Many types of plant milk don’t contain iodine for example, which is essential in the diet, and milk is one of the major sources.”
SWAP FOR: “Sugar-free fruit juice or squash is better than fizzy drinks - but make it a treat, not the norm,” she adds.
“After any drink that contains sugar, wait an hour before you brush your child’s teeth as this can damage the enamel.”
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