18 Foods Research Links to Increased Cancer Risk

13. Betel nuts warning

Betel nuts are the fruit of the areca palm tree, a tree native to the Philippines that has now spread through south and southeast Asia. In these cultures, betel nut chewing plays a traditional role in cultural rituals, religious practices, and other social customs, particularly in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Research has found that betel nuts are related to oral cancer and oral cancer–related deaths, increasing the risk by as much as 50 percent.