Experts are now warning that two specific foods pose a greater cancer risk than anything else in your diet.

Nichole Andrews, an oncology dietitian based in Washington, USA, explains: “People say everything you eat increases cancer risk, but that’s not true. There are only two foods that significantly raise your risk.”

According to her, those two foods are alcohol and processed meats.

Andrews, who specializes in nutrition for cancer patients, emphasizes: “That’s it — that’s the whole list.” She also clarifies that alcohol includes all types, including red wine.

Why Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk

Alcohol has been strongly linked to cancers of the breast, liver, colon, mouth, throat, and stomach. Andrews explains: “It’s because ethanol — the alcohol in your drink — is a carcinogen.”

She advises people to cut back or eliminate alcohol to reduce their risks: “Not drinking is best. Any amount of alcohol increases your risk, so any reduction is beneficial.”

Processed Meats Are the Second Major Risk

Processed meats include sausages, deli meats, bacon, hot dogs, and anything preserved to last longer or precooked for convenience.

To reduce your intake, Andrews recommends:
“Choose fresh meat and cook at home. Buy fresh meat if you want sausages — not the premade, precooked kinds.”

What About Sugar?

On social media, Andrews also addresses the common belief that sugar “feeds cancer.”

“As a cancer dietitian, let me clarify: sugar itself does not cause cancer or make it grow faster. All cells — including healthy ones — use glucose for energy. Cutting sugar won’t ‘starve’ cancer cells.”

What truly increases cancer risk is excess body fat, which creates inflammatory hormones that promote tumor growth.

She explains:
“You don’t need to eliminate sugar. Focus instead on reducing excess body fat by eating balanced meals, staying active, and building muscle. Even if you don’t lose weight, improving body composition reduces risk.”

Moderate sugar consumption is fine, she says:
“A cookie or slice of cake won’t harm your health. The real issue is overeating calories from any source.”

The Real Risks

Andrews stresses that the true high-risk items are alcohol and processed meats:

• Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen (the same classification as tobacco).

• Processed meats are also Group 1 carcinogens, strongly linked to colorectal cancer — even in small amounts.

What Major Health Organizations Say

Cancer Research UK echoes the same message:
“We know for certain that processed meat causes cancer. The evidence is as strong as the proven risks from alcohol and tobacco.”

Regarding sugar, the organization notes:
“There is no evidence that a ‘sugar-free diet’ lowers cancer risk or improves cancer survival.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) also classifies both alcohol and processed meats as Group 1 carcinogens, stating there is “convincing evidence they cause cancer.”
However, WHO clarifies that this classification does not mean these foods are as dangerous as smoking or asbestos — only that the evidence of risk is equally strong.