Is it better to eat less processed meat? The dose of "nitrite" is the key! Toxicology expert: Eating in moderation has a low risk of cancer
Processed food smells bad and nitrite dosage is a concern
When people hear “processed food”, they often intuitively think that it is “unhealthy” and “carcinogenic”, so most people hold the attitude of “eating less is better”. In addition, in recent years, the trend of healthy eating has become more and more popular, and more and more people are turning to non-processed food. “Prototype food” with added chemicals. However, most of the foods sold on the market have been processed. Isn’t every one of them unhealthy? How much does it take to cause cancer risk?
Professor Zhao Mingwei, associate professor of the Department of Biotechnology of Chung Yuan University, said that the main chemical substance added to processed meat is “nitrite”, which is used as a bacteriostatic agent and antioxidant in the food production industry and can inhibit the growth of E. coli and other bacteria. breed. If there is a lack of nitrite, the shelf life of food will be greatly reduced and it will be more likely to cause corruption and deterioration. Therefore, the addition of nitrite is necessary and reasonable.
Sausage with Yakult increases cancer risk? Eating three meals a day may increase the risk of cancer
Professor Zhao Mingwei said that processed food is indeed carcinogenic in theory and has been classified as a “Level 1 carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, the professor also believes that there are dosage limits for nitrites in processed foods. If a certain amount is not consumed, the risk of cancer is actually quite low.
Professor Zhao Mingwei gave an example. “PM2.5” in the air is a carcinogen, but the daily dose of PM2.5 inhaled into the lungs is not enough to form tumors. In the same way, unless you consume excessive amounts of processed foods such as bacon, ham, and sausages in three meals, there is a risk of cancer. Occasional consumption will not cause harm to the human body.
Professor Zhao Mingwei explained that even if you eat processed products and drink Yakult, yogurt and other beverages by chance, “nitrosamines” will be formed in the body, but the dosage will still be difficult to affect various organs of the body. As long as the dose of nitrite as the synthetic “source” is insufficient, the “production” of nitrosamines will not exceed the standard excessively. In addition, there are various antioxidant substances and enzymes in the body that can offset the toxicity of nitrosamines. There is no direct carcinogen problem when combined with specific foods. People do not need to worry too much.
Can processed foods be boiled in water to reduce toxins? Chemical substances will not be reduced
As for changing cooking methods, can it reduce the toxin content in processed foods? Some experts previously believed that poking holes in sausages and then cooking them in water would put less strain on the body and effectively reduce the risk of cancer.
Professor Zhao Mingwei said that boiling is just a cooking method and cannot completely remove nitrite or the chemicals in it; poking holes only allows boiling water to flow into the sausage, and there is no way to know that nitrite will be reduced as a result. The professor believes that when it comes to poisons or carcinogens, “dose” will be the key. If the chemical dose in food cannot be determined, the carcinogenicity rate will not be known.
Professor Zhao Mingwei emphasized that even though most of the processed foods on the market are not carcinogenic, you still need to pay attention to eating them in moderation. Processed foods generally add excessive amounts of salt and sugar. Excessive intake may still lead to symptoms such as overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, and metabolic problems; high-salt foods such as bacon and ham may also cause kidney function to decline. The public is reminded that developing balanced eating habits is the long-term way to maintain health.
