18 Foods Research Links to Increased Cancer Risk

4. Overcooked food

When muscle meat, including pork, beef, poultry, and chicken, is cooked at high temperatures, such as in a frying pan or on a grill, it produces chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In lab experiments, these chemicals have been found to cause DNA changes that can lead to cancer; however, there have been no large-scale studies that have confirmed a link between HCAs and PAHs from cooked meats with cancer in humans. While HCAs and PAHs have not been directly linked to increased cancer risk in humans, it is reasonable to be aware of the possible dangers and make food choices accordingly.