Carbs and Cancer: New study suggests carbs are worse than cigarettes

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- NBC News is reporting that some surprising new research is connecting certain carbohydrates to an elevated lung cancer risk.

Researchers at the University of Texas say carbs may be worse for you than smoking cigarettes.

Researchers looked at 2,000 patients with lung cancer and 2,500 without.

They say non-smokers whose diets had a high glycemic index were more than two times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than non-smokers with a low one.

Dr. Oz says, "A high glycemic index means that the sugar in whatever food you're eating rushes into your bloodstream because it's not cobbled together with fiber that would naturally hold it together in your gut."

The foods in question: white bread, bagels, pretzels, popcorn and white potatoes

Dr. Oz suggests starting early in the morning by swapping out your two lumps of sugar in coffee or tea with one sugar and one cinnamon.

The study also recommends opting for foods with a lower gylcemic index, like whole wheat bread, bran and steal cut oats.