Do you like pork?
It is said that the Chinese can eat 700 million pigs a year, and the price of pork has dropped again recently! According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the national economic operation from January to February 2022. Among food, tobacco and alcohol prices, pork prices fell by 42% year-on-year.
Pork is cheap and delicious, but there are many rumors about it. Some people think that pork can cause cancer. The high incidence of cancer in China is related to eating too much pork and other meat. Is it true?
First, the high incidence of cancer in China is caused by pork?
According to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in 2019 alone, the annual pork consumption per person in my country reached 32kg, far exceeding the recommendation of the Chinese Dietary Guidelines 14.5~ 27.3kg/year (all meat).
Pork belongs to red meat, and it is also the most consumed meat by Chinese residents. According to statistics, pork accounted for about 70% of China’s total meat consumption in 2015. However, a growing body of research suggests that eating large amounts of red meat may increase the risk of cancer.
The International Journal of Medicine has analyzed data showing that eating more than 100 grams (2 taels) of unprocessed red meat per day may increase stroke and breast cancer11 %, cardiovascular death 15%, colorectal cancer 17%, advanced prostate cancer 19% and other chronic diseases risk.
The question is, are pork and red meat really carcinogenic? Can you still eat?
In response, Professor Ma Guansheng, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University said that red meat is not the food itself that causes cancer. , but a certain ingredient in food that eating in large quantities may induce lesions. In addition, in the process of preservation and processing, red meat may also produce some carcinogens, such as aflatoxin produced by mildew, and benzopyrene in smoked food. > etc.
In the end, it’s not the pork itself that causes cancer, but an unbalanced diet, as well as improper processing, storage, or cooking methods.
Meat can provide the high-quality protein needed by the human body and is an important source of human life and growth. Don’t eat meat, it will affect the balance of the diet, and also pose a threat to health. . It is recommended to control the intake of pork, and eat more or less.
Second, eat as little as possible of these parts of the pig
Some people say that the whole body of the pig is “baby”, but these parts From the point of view of safety and nutrition, it is still necessary to eat as little as possible:
1. Slotted meat
Slotted meat, that is, pork neck meat. Various lymphatic distribution in pig neck, including: mandibular lymph node, parotid gland lymph node and retropharyngeal lymphatic center, etc. Normal lymph is not harmful to the human body after ingestion, However, in pathological lymph nodes such as congestion, hemorrhage, edema, purulence, and necrosis, there may still be a large number of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Such harmful substances may be harmful to health after consumption.
2. Pork liver
Pork liver is rich in nutrients, but it is also a detoxification organ, which may There will be more blood and bile with toxic substances left, and there may be parasites. It can easily lead to infection if it is not handled properly during cooking. And for people with high cholesterol, due to the high cholesterol content of pig liver, regular consumption may increase the burden on the liver.
3. Pig brain
According to the “Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents”, the cholesterol content in pig brain ranks first among foods, per 100 The cholesterol content of gram pig brain is about 3100 mg, therefore, patients with hyperlipidemia should avoid eating such foods.
III. New research: Pig trotters are rich in collagen, which may have anti-cancer potential
Collagen widely exists in connective tissue of animals, Published in Nature Cancer, a mouse experiment at the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found that a key collagen, “type III collagen”, can force cells to enter Dormant state has a good effect on inhibiting tumor recurrence.
Then the question is, can eating more pig trotters rich in collagen prevent cancer? Although pig trotters also contain collagen, the content is limited, and the collagen eaten has been decomposed into polypeptides, dipeptides and amino acids before being absorbed. In addition, because pig trotters also contain high fat and high cholesterol, eating too much pig trotters can easily increase the risk of obesity and high blood pressure.
Fourth, how to eat pork healthier?
A moderate amount of meat can meet the needs of daily study, work, etc., so how to eat meat to eat healthy and safe?
1. Control the consumption amount
According to the dietary guidelines for Chinese residents, the daily intake of livestock and poultry meat should be controlled at 40-75g .
2. Pick thin and lose weight
Although fatty meat is smooth and rich in taste, considering the protein and saturated fatty acid content, it is more recommended to eat more lean meat.
3. Mainly steamed
It is recommended to cook pork by steaming, which is beneficial to reduce the fat content in pork and avoid repeated intake of fat.
4. Pay attention to the combination of meat and vegetables
It is best to avoid dishes such as braised pork trotters, honey sauce pork trotters, roasted pork belly and other dishes. Pork can be combined with potatoes, carrots, etc. Stewed together, or fried with high-fiber foods such as beans and green peppers, can help improve body fat metabolism.
Finally, we remind consumers to buy pork from regular supermarkets, pay attention to whether the meat has two certificates and two chapters when purchasing, and buy pork that has undergone strict inspection to ensure food safety. more guaranteed.
References:
[1] “If you eat more than this amount of red meat every day, the risk of 8 diseases soars! Most Chinese exceed the standard”. Health Times. 2018-07-17
[2] “The latest major discovery in the field of cancer: the “switch” that makes cancer cells dormant, revive, and spread is a collagen Protein”. Red Star News. 2021-12-15
[3] “Can eating pig trotters really supplement collagen? Tell you the truth”. China Economic Net. 2019-11-08