Can't eat pickles and bacon? Will they cause cancer? If you want to eat with peace of mind, remember these 4 points...

This article was reviewed by Liu Shaowei, Deputy Director and Professor of Food and Drug Regulatory Research Center, East China University of Science and Technology

As soon as winter comes, various vegetables become difficult to preserve, and pickles come into being, such as mustard tuber, sauerkraut, pickled radish, Chinese mustard, olive salad... Add some of them to wontons, porridge, or noodles, and the taste will immediately become richer.

Some families also pickle bacon, sausages, salted fish, etc., which can be fried, stewed, or directly sliced ​​and served cold. They are not greasy, salty and delicious, and are very popular.

But nowadays, many people have concerns when eating pickled foods: "They contain nitrites, which can cause cancer!" What is the truth? Today, the editor will take you to understand it together.

01

The True Face of Nitrite

Nitrite can be said to be the source of rumors that pickled vegetables and pickled meats are bad. But did you know that even if it is not processed or pickled food, it still contains a certain amount of nitrite. But where does nitrite come from? How does it affect human health?

1. Predecessor of nitrite: nitrate

The predecessor of nitrite is actually nitrate, which is an inorganic salt widely found in nature and is contained in people's daily food and water sources, especially vegetables such as spinach, celery, potatoes, carrots, beans, etc., which have high content.

Under the action of reducing bacteria, nitrate can be reduced to nitrite; under high-temperature cooking or long-term exposure to aerobic environment, nitrate can also be converted into nitrite.

2. Nitrite itself is not carcinogenic

Nitrite itself is not carcinogenic and is a preservative allowed in food worldwide. As long as it is within national standards, there is no risk of poisoning.

If a large amount (0.2-0.5g) of nitrite is accidentally ingested in a short period of time, it is easy to cause acute poisoning, resulting in methemoglobinemia, headache, dizziness, fatigue, chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. At this time, you must see a doctor as soon as possible.

Since nitrite itself is not carcinogenic, why is it related to cancer?

3. Nitrite + amines: carcinogens

When nitrite enters the stomach and encounters amines, the decomposition product of protein, the acidic environment in the stomach will cause the two to react, and nitrite will be converted into carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Nitrosamines are the culprit of many cancers, including gastric cancer and intestinal cancer! According to ecological data analysis from 13 countries, there is a significant correlation between nitrite intake and gastric cancer mortality.

02

Don’t eat too much pickled food

There are three more reasons

In fact, in addition to nitrite, there are several other reasons why pickled foods are not recommended:

1. Nutrition loss

After being preserved for a long time, most of the nutrients in pickled foods are destroyed, especially pickled vegetables, which have a large loss of natural antioxidants and almost all vitamins.

2. Excessive salt intake

There is no doubt that pickled foods contain a lot of salt. The World Health Organization recommends that the daily salt intake of each person should be less than 6g. However, Chinese people already have the problem of excessive salt intake. Adding these pickled foods can make the situation worse!

When too much salt is consumed, in order to maintain fluid balance, the extracellular fluid will increase, the blood volume will increase, and the blood pressure will rise, and high blood pressure will further lead to cardiovascular disease;

In addition, excessive salt will increase the burden on the kidneys. If it cannot be excreted in time, it will cause edema and increase the risk of renal damage!

3. Other harmful chemicals

Pickled meat may have the problem of nitrite, while smoked and grilled pickled meat contains more harmful substances.

During the smoking process, the fat from the animal meat will drip due to the high temperature and fall onto the charcoal fire, producing a large amount of thick smoke. This thick smoke contains many harmful substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, coal tar and other harmful chemicals, and the strong carcinogen benzopyrene.

Many experiments have shown that long-term inhalation or consumption of foods containing high levels of benzopyrene can easily induce lung cancer, liver cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, etc.

These harmful substances are not only present in the smoke, but also on the surface of smoked meat. The consequences of frequent consumption can be imagined!

Pickled food is a daily necessity for many of us, and sometimes we can't help but want to eat it. So how can eating it help reduce the harm? Let's take a look.

03

Follow these four steps to reduce harm and eat with confidence

1. Pay attention to the marinating time

Generally, the production and synthesis of nitrite are the highest in the 7-15 days after pickling; after 21 days, the content will be significantly reduced, and it is relatively safe to eat at this time.

If you go to a shopping mall to buy, you should also pay attention to choosing a regular manufacturer.

2. Control volume

It is best not to consume more than 150g per time for adults, and about 50g is appropriate. It is best not to consume more than 3 times a week, and do not consume continuously.

3. Take with Vitamin C

Vitamin C can effectively block the formation of nitrosamines and prevent the body from absorbing carcinogens as much as possible. Therefore, after eating pickled foods, you can eat foods rich in vitamin C such as kiwi, cherry, strawberry, orange, etc.

4. Cook properly

①Cleaning and soaking

Pickled foods must be washed before eating to remove dust and other harmful microorganisms; and soaking them for a while can help dilute the nitrite.

②Served with vegetables

The fiber contained in vegetables can promote bowel movements, thereby reducing the body's absorption of harmful substances.

③ Use spices wisely

Whether steaming or frying, you can add garlic, chili and ginger.

These spicy seasonings can not only help inhibit nitrate-reducing bacteria in the stomach and reduce the nitrate content; they can also enhance gastrointestinal motility and promote the secretion of digestive juices, thereby accelerating the decomposition and excretion of harmful substances.

But it should be noted that patients with hypertension, dyslipidemia, kidney disease, pregnant women and children should eat less or even no bacon and pickles.

Source: I am a great doctor official microblog (ID: woshidayisheng)

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