It’s a bad-news day for morning smokers. A new study from the University of Texas is recommending that they kick both their tobacco AND breakfast bagel habits. What’s next? A study that says drinking excessive coffee is bad for you? Staring despondently out the window as the sun rises!?
Researchers at UT’s MD Anderson Cancer Center say that they found the risk of lung cancer increased 49 percent in people who eat lots of food with a high glycemic index. Those types of food include corn flakes, white bread, white rice and, yes, bagels. Non-smokers, which make up about 12 percent of those killed by the disease, are particularly at risk.
The glycemic index measures how quickly a person’s blood sugar levels are raised after eating a meal. The researchers behind the study believe that the higher levels of blood glucose and insulin in the body increase a type of hormone called “Insulin-Like Growth Factors.” The elevated levels of that hormone have been previously linked to a higher risk of lung cancer. So, basically, your corn flakes could be slowly killing you. Cornelius Rooster is not to be trusted.
Looking for healthier alternatives? Foods with a low Glycemic Index include pumpernickel bread, steel-cut oatmeal, oat bran, barley and sweet potatoes.
h/t Daily Mail