If you do not control the food sources you consume and choose safe cooking methods, your body can easily be harmed. This opens the door for cancer cells to develop.
Our lives are becoming increasingly modern and convenient, but along with this, the incidence of cancer is also on the rise. Cancer is not only related to factors such as environmental pollution but also to personal lifestyle habits and poor dietary practices.
There is a saying, “Illness enters through the mouth.” If you do not manage the food sources you consume and do not choose safe cooking methods, your body is at risk, which can create opportunities for cancer cells to thrive.
Two Group 1 carcinogens often hide in your family meals:
1. Fried Foods and Char-Grilled Meats: Benzopyrene
Benzopyrene is one of the most common carcinogens present in our lives. Notably, this substance has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the World Health Organization (WHO).
Benzopyrene, often abbreviated as BaP, is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. It is produced during the incomplete combustion of organic materials at temperatures ranging from 300°C (572°F) to 600°C (1,112°F).
Studies have shown that even a small amount of nanogram (a very tiny amount) of benzopyrene can alter the structure and function of the body’s DNA. Once in the body, benzopyrene generates a large number of intermediary molecules, changing the structure of target cells and causing cancer.
Benzopyrene can be found in char-grilled meat. Benzopyrene is created during the combustion of charcoal. These benzopyrenes float in the air along with oily smoke, eventually settling on grilled food.
In fried foods, the carcinogen benzopyrene is generated through the transformation of proteins, fats, and high cholesterol in meat at frying oil temperatures above 200°C.
Measures to Avoid Exposure to Benzopyrene
- First, we should eat grilled meat as little as possible. If you really want to eat grilled meat, avoid using charcoal. Remove any burnt parts before eating, as these areas contain particularly high levels of benzopyrene.
- In addition to fried foods, cooking smoke can also contain the carcinogen benzopyrene. When cooking, it is recommended that families turn on the exhaust fan or open windows. This can significantly reduce the absorption of oily smoke and benzopyrene.
- Limit grilling and frying foods. Instead, opt for boiling and steaming.
2. Moldy Grains and Fruits: Aflatoxin
Corn, potatoes, and fruits are all healthy foods that are very beneficial for the body. However, when they become moldy, the risk of aflatoxin presence is significant.
Since 1993, aflatoxin has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the WHO. Investigations have found that this toxin often appears in moldy bread, fruits, and grains… Among these, aflatoxin is most prevalent in moldy corn and peanuts.
Aflatoxin is more harmful to the human body than arsenic and is 68 times more toxic than arsenic. Just consuming 1 mg of it through food can lead to liver cancer.
Most people have the habit of cutting off the moldy parts of food to eat the remaining healthy portions, but the truth is that the mold has already penetrated deeply into the food.
Solutions to Avoid Exposure to Aflatoxin
- 1. Only buy a sufficient amount for each use; do not stockpile too much corn, peanuts, or potatoes to avoid mold.
- 2. Since aflatoxin spreads in spore form, do not think about cutting off the moldy parts and continuing to eat. Instead, decisively throw them in the trash.
- 3. Corners of the house and kitchen where food is stored should be cleaned regularly every few days.
- 4. Actively consume green vegetables: Zhao Jianjun, chief surgeon at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, stated, “If you regularly consume fresh, safe vegetables, you can reduce the absorption of aflatoxin into the body due to the chlorophyll content in vegetables. Researchers indicate that spinach, broccoli, and cabbage are among the richest vegetables in chlorophyll.”
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