A GP has taken to social media to warn of the alarming cancer risk of three popular foods and drinks that many of us consume daily.

One significant risk to be aware of is the consumption of charred or burned food. These foods contain harmful compounds that can elevate the likelihood of developing serious conditions such as prostate, bowel, and highly dangerous pancreatic cancer.

Specifically, burnt meat is known to contain substances like ‘heterocyclic amines or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which have been demonstrated in studies to cause damage to DNA, thus increasing the risk of cancer,’ according to Dr. Sermed Mezher, a London-based expert, in a video shared on social media.

Previous studies have found high levels of these chemicals are formed when meat is cooked over an open flame, for instance during barbecuing. 

Experts have long warned of the links between cancer and burnt carbohydrate-based foods, like potatoes and bread.

This is due to the presence of the toxic molecule acrylamide, which forms when certain sugars and proteins in food combine while heated. 

Analyses have found small associations between exposure to the toxin and certain cancers, including kidney, endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Nevertheless, there are experts who argue that the quantity of burnt toast or potatoes one would need to consume in order to raise the risk of cancer is excessive and remains an improbable scenario for most individuals throughout their lives.

Cancer-causing toxins are produced when meat juices drink on to open flames

Dr Mezher also urged those keen to reduce cancer risk to avoid two other, popular treats. 

‘The next is processed meats like sausages, bacon, ham and pepperoni,’ he said, adding that the World Health Organisation classifies these foods as a ‘group one carcinogen.

He explained that the risk comes from compounds called nitrites and nitrates in processed meats, which are known to trigger bodily reactions that can cause tumours to develop in the gut.

Within the digestive system, nitrates can undergo a reaction that turns them into a substance called N-nitroso chemicals (NOCs).

These can damage the cells that line the bowel, the organ that processes your food, which, in turn, can lead to the development of cancer, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) explains.

A 2019 study found that eating just one rasher of bacon a day could increase the risk of bowel cancer by a fifth.

This is less than the NHS-recommended limit of two rashers, or three slices of ham, daily.

Last on Dr Mezher’s ‘avoid’ list is alcohol. 

‘It is associated with seven types of cancer as alcohol is broken down into a toxic byproduct named acetaldehyde, which can cause DNA damage and inhibit cell repair,’ he warned.

‘We also know that alcohol can affect hormone levels and impair nutrient absorption.’

In the caption accompanying the clip Dr Mezher wrote that boozing is also linked to ‘liver disease, heart problems, and various cancers’.

‘Even small amounts increase the risk of breast and esophageal cancer, making it something to consume with caution,’ he added.

The warning comes as experts battle to understand a disturbing rise in bowel cancers in under 50s in the UK and the US.

There are more than 44,000 new bowel cancer diagnoses in the UK each year, and almost 142,000 in the US.

Although the vast majority affect those aged over 50, rates in older age-groups has either declined or held stable while diagnoses in younger adults have risen by 50 per cent over the last 30 years.

Doctors have suggested obesity, antibiotic over-use, mobile phone radiation and even invisible particles of plastic in drinking water are potential triggers.

However, a growing number of experts are pointing ultra-processed foods, including ham and bacon, as a cause.

Some have even gone as far as to say they could be as dangerous as tobacco — and should come with a cigarette-style health warning.