8 Foods that can damage your Pancreas

The pancreas is a long, flat gland located behind your stomach in the upper abdomen area. It produces enzymes that help digestion, as well as hormones that help you process sugar. 

Like all organs, our diet can make all the difference in whether or not they function properly. Below are eight foods that are hurting your unhealthy pancreas.

8 Foods that are absolute poison for your Pancreas

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is not the healthiest food in general, you know. Mayonnaise can irritate your pancreas.

The pancreas processes the fat you eat. The more fat in your diet, the harder the pancreas works to process it. Eventually, the organ will become overwhelmed.

A single tablespoon of mayonnaise contains 6% of your daily recommended fat. The more mayo and fatty condiments you slather on your food, the greater your risk of acute pancreatitis.

This is a condition where your pancreas becomes inflamed. While many cases are mild, acute pancreatitis can also be life-threatening.

A high-fat diet will boost your level of triglycerides, the type of fat found in your blood. An increase in triglycerides will up your blood’s fat, leading to acute pancreatitis. Your pancreas will suffer and so, may other parts of your body.

Potato chips

Remember, the more you eat, the harder you are on your pancreas. If your diet includes a large number of potato chips, you’re making the organ work overtime.

One bag of regular potato chips is over 10 grams of fat. That’s over 13% of your suggested intake for the day!

Along with sugars and starches, the enzymes in your pancreas break down the fats you’ve eaten. If the fats from the chips are causing pancreatitis, you won’t have any enzymes available.

Symptoms of pancreatitis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. If you’re worried about the number of fatty foods you’ve been eating, it would be wise to lay off the chips for the time being.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a drink that will really damage your pancreas. Coke can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.

A study focused on a group of men and women who drank two or more soft drinks per week. By the end, it was found that they were 87% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.

Although pancreatic cancer is rare, it is one of the deadlier cancers around. Less than 5% of patients survive five years after diagnosis. Most cases of pancreatic cancer begin in the enzymes.

Research on the causes behind cancer varies. Some studies point towards insulin promoting the growth of cancerous cells. Some researchers believe that sugary foods and drinks such as coca-cola are the issues, as they expose your pancreas to lots of insulin.

Men are recommended no more than 36 grams of sugar a day. Women are recommended no more than 25 grams of sugar a day. A regular can of coke contains almost 40 grams of sugar!

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer include weight loss, indigestion and loss of appetite. If you’re craving a soft drink, but trying to avoid the sugar, try a diet coke. At the same time, those diet drinks come with their own health risks. You’re better off skipping out on them altogether.

Butter

Much like mayonnaise, it’s best to limit your butter intake to one tablespoon per meal. This gives your pancreas enough time to process the fat.

One tablespoon of regular butter has over 15% of your daily fat. This includes 36% saturated fat.

If you’re already showing symptoms of pancreatitis, make sure you stay away from foods that are high in any fat. Instead, choose low-fat items.

Red meat

Research has shown that eating red meat constantly can bring on pancreatic cancer. To be clear, red meat is coloured red when raw, and turns dark after being cooked.

A study once showed that consuming more than 120 grams of red meat each day increases your risk of the disease by 13%.

The risk for men who consume red meat daily increased by almost 30%! This is because men consume more red meat overall.

French fries

French fries are one of the most commonly consumed meals around. But fried foods, in general, are an absolute poison for your pancreas. One large serving of fries includes 18% of your saturated fats for the day.

A king-sized fry order is 31% saturated fat. If you already have pancreatitis, avoid eating French fries as much as you can. It is just too much fat for the already crippled organ to handle.

Hot dog

Out of all the fat that comes with a regular hot dog, 28% of that fat is saturated. Consuming one dog every once in a while, is probably okay. But eating too much is absolute suicide. Even the smallest looking hot dogs are jam-packed with fat.

In all seriousness, hot dogs are unhealthy. Along with a truckload of fat, you are also getting a ton of sodium, cholesterol and carbs. The same regular-sized hot dog only contains 3% of your daily fibre.

Organ meats

When your pancreas isn’t at its best, red meat isn’t the only kind you need to stay away from. Organ meats are the organs from animals that humans can cook and eat.

Popular organ foods include liver, heart and kidneys. They even can eat the brain! While organ meats do provide plenty of vitamins, minerals and protein, they can also damage your pancreas if they contain fatty deposits.

Organ meats are high in saturated fats. There are several factors contributing to this. If the animal has lived an unhealthy life, a lot of fat will collect around the heart and kidneys. An organ meal that is high in fat can put pressure on an unhealthy pancreas.