18 Different Foods That Cause Cancer

2. Charred Meat

If we’ve learned anything from all the cooking shows on TV, we know that brown food is good food. That means that getting a little bit of a char on your meat will enhance the flavor — whether you are barbecuing or skillet-frying your food. However, studies have shown that the high temperatures needed to char food can produce cancer-causing heterocyclic aromatic amines, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. What does this mean? It means that the carbonized charred portions of the meat may put you at risk for cancer. Do you have to stop barbecuing your food? Not necessarily — but you do need to take care not to overcook your food and to make sure that you use healthy cooking methods like steaming and boiling often, as well.