According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, certain meats, such as ham, bacon, salami and hot dogs, can greatly increase the risk of cancer. The reason is that many of these products contain added preservatives—nitrates—which can increase your risk of cancer.

The Medical News Today said, when you eat processed meats “nitrates can turn into nitrosamines - cancer causing compounds.” According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, higher intakes of processed meat were associated with an increase in colon cancer risk.

How can you lower your risk? Look out for “sodium nitrate” in the ingredients of deli meats, hot dogs, etc.-I recently had the chance to sample Organic Roasted Turkey Breast, Natural Honey Ham, Organic Genoa Salami, the Greatest Little Organic Smokey Pork Cocktail Franks and Organic Chicken Strips from Applegate Farms, who make preservative-free meat products. My personal favorites were the ham and the chicken strips. Their animals are also fed a completely vegetarian diet and are not fed antibiotics or growth hormones.

Want to learn more about diets for lowering your risk of cancer? Check out “Smart diet and exercise habits prevent cancer” and stay tuned for Delicious Living’s special cancer-prevention feature in August!