12 Hormone-Killing Foods You Should NEVER Eat

“You are what you eat” may be an old adage, but it helps people keep an eye on their diet. Foods can affect your overall health, in good ways and in bad. A balanced diet of nutritious foods leads to a healthier body. Meanwhile, regular consumption of unhealthy foods will take a toll on your well-being. Among those you shouldn’t eat are foods that mess up your hormones.

Hormones regulate many functions in the body including sleep, digestion, and reproductive health. The slightest imbalance can disrupt one or more of these functions. Following is a list of 12 hormone-killing foods you should never eat.

1. French fries

These deep-fried potato strings have become so popular, that they are served in nearly every fast food restaurant nowadays. You can even buy them pre-cut in groceries and cook them at home! French fries may be comfort food for the modern man, but that doesn’t mean they’re good for you. It’s one of the hormone-killing foods you should avoid.

French fries are typically prepared using commercial cooking oils. But processed cooking oils tend to be high in omega-6 fatty acids. While cooking, these fatty acids seep into the food. Since potatoes readily absorb moisture, they retain most of the omega-6 found in oils which are then absorbed into the body during digestion. A diet rich in omega-6 is known to disrupt hormones and trigger inflammation, making you prone to inflammatory diseases such as acne and heart disease.

Processed oils also saturate potatoes with unhealthy fats. A high-fat diet is known to increase estrogen and prolactin. Estrogen is a female hormone found in both men and women, while prolactin is only found in women of child-bearing age.  Studies show that an increase in one or both of these hormones raises a person’s risk for breast cancer, especially in pre-menopausal women.

Stay in control by opting for home-cooked fries. Use cooking oils that are low in omega-6 and saturated fats, like olive oil. Remember to drain the fries to remove most oils. Lastly, limit your portions to a small serving.