Cancer is a serious illness that has no cure. There are various kinds of cancer such as kidney cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, and more. According to the National Cancer Institute, the most common types of cancer among children between the ages of birth to 14 years-old are leukemias, kidney tumors, lymphomas, and bone and brain cancers. While there are various causes of cancer, such as genetics, smoking, sun exposure, and chronic infection and inflammation, certain foods that kids love to eat have been linked to cancer development, such as:

1. Ice cream

Ice cream is considered a cancer risk food because it is high in fat and saturated fats. This has been linked to causing a few different illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. While fats are necessary for our everyday body functioning, unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are better options and saturated fats should be avoided.

2. Hot dogs

According to research, processed meat is carcinogenic and a major contributor to colorectal cancer. One study showed that 50 grams of processed meat, which is about one hot dog, consumed daily increases colorectal cancer risk by up to 18%. This is because 80% of the calories in hot dogs come from saturated fat, which increases the risk of heart disease and cancer.

3. Potato chips

Potato chips are listed as one of the top ten snacks that cause cancer and are considered carcinogenic. This is because they contain the chemical acrylamide, which forms naturally from chemical reactions in potato chips after cooking at high temperatures and is known to increase cancer risk.

4. Sugary juice boxes

A concerning study found that over 25 percent of apple juice boxes tested contained high levels of arsenic, a heavy metal known to cause various types of cancer. According to a French study, increasing sugary drink consumption by 100 milliliters per day was associated with an 18% increased risk of cancer and a 22% increased risk of breast cancer.

5. Fast foods

While it may be convenient to buy fast food, it might not be worth the risk. These foods tend to be very high in saturated fats which leads to a higher risk of developing cancer. It is also very high in starches and sugars which can lead to obesity, another factor that can put you at risk of developing cancer later in life.

6. Diet soda

One of the main ingredients in diet soda is aspartame. There have been many concerns about aspartame causing cancer throughout the years and one study found that high doses of aspartame in rats might cause lymphoma and leukemia. Regardless of the aspartame, diet soda is still high in sugar and sugary drinks are associated with the risk of developing cancer or more specifically breast cancer.

7. Candy containing palm oil

Palm oil is a vegetable fat that helps give candy its long shelf life. However, one study found that Cancer cells exposed to palmitic acid for a short period of time spread more quickly even once it was removed from the diet. It is considered to be the most carcinogenic oil and can make tumors more aggressive so it is best to avoid it when possible.

Cancer is a serious illness and research is still being done to try and find a cure. If you’d like to donate to cancer research there are many options available to you such as making a St. Jude cancer hospital donation or making a Dana Farber Jimmy fund donation.