The Not-so-subtle Carcinogens
Sun is only the beginning. Health threats don't care what time of year it is, because every day is open season to them. You may want to rethink serving those hot dogs, which could be harboring cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines. While you're at it, chuck the Styrofoam cups and plates and skip the side of french fries. With our guidance, you can eliminate some of the dangers of cancer-causing culprits that could be sneaking in the environment.
Laundry Detergents
In 2011, an environmental group discovered 1,4-dioxane lurking in laundry detergent. The chemical isn’t a proven cancer causer in humans, but it has triggered liver and nasal tumors in rats. Worse, you won’t find 1,4-dioxane on labels because it’s an impurity, not an ingredient.
Wrinkle-free Shirts
Formaldehyde keeps corpses looking their best; it also keeps wrinkle-free shirts spiffy. And while dead men have no cause for concern, the living might. &quotThere’s evidence that formaldehyde causes nasal and respiratory cancers in humans,&quot says Lunder. &quotAny form raises your risk, and multiple sources add up.
French Fries
Acrylamide, a form of a chemical used to treat wastewater, lurks in french fries and doughnuts. When some carb-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, the amino acid asparagine reacts with sugars in the foods, forming acrylamide.
Styrofoam Cups, Plates
Stay away from styrene in all forms, including coffee cups and their lids because of what it’s made from: styrene, which may generate a chemical that can damage your DNA. Its “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen, a National Toxicology Program report notes.
Brown Rice
A Consumer Reports study found that some brands of brown rice contain more of this toxic metal than white does. Arsenic may disable your body’s DNA repair system, so when cells are damaged, the DNA can’t bounce back, making it vulnerable to cancer-causing mutations.
E-cigarettes
The FDA found nitrosamines, a carcinogen in tobacco products, in some electronic cigarette brands. Even if you’re not a smoker, you still may be taking them in: They can form when stomach acid reacts with nitrates and nitrites in hot dogs, bacon, or other cured meats.
Chips and Breads
Remember french fries? Chips and breads again can form acrylamide- your body’s chemical reactions to acrylamide can lead to DNA mutations that may raise your cancer risk.
