How much do Chinese people love meat? According to the “2016 Global Food Policy Report” released by the International Food Policy Research Institute, my country’s per capita meat consumption is about 59 kilograms, and the per capita meat intake exceeds the standard (dietary recommendation: 27.4 kilograms/year) twice. Half of the world’s pigs eat meat in one year.

Most Chinese people love meat. The high incidence is all because of eating too much meat”…

28-year-old Scallion (pseudonym) is usually not fond of meat, especially pork, but since his mother saw it To an article “Red meat is listed as a carcinogen, pork, beef…don’t eat it! ” article, he has not eaten pork for almost 3 months.

Scallions don’t understand very well. In the past, grandparents and grandparents ate pork for so many years and nothing happened. Why is red meat classified as a carcinogen? Can’t eat pork anymore?

1. Red meat is listed as a carcinogen, is pork still edible?

Red meat refers to the muscle tissue of all mammals, such as beef, pork, lamb, horse, rabbit, etc. In terms of meat quality, red meat muscle fibers are tough and relatively high in fat. In terms of nutrients, red meat is rich in protein, a variety of vitamins, and trace elements such as iron and minerals.

Red meat is nutrient-dense, but in 2015 it was classified as a Category 2a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. What does level 2A mean? meaning “animal experiments” have confirmed a clear carcinogenic effect, but the evidence from human studies is still relatively limited.

But the “criminal evidence” about red meat doesn’t stop there. Several studies have shown that eating too much red meat can lead to various diseases, such as:

• cardiovascular disease strong>

A study published in Nature Microbiology, a top journal in the field of microbiology, found that after consuming large amounts of red meat, food debris in the gut can be destroyed by bacteria Converted to trimethylamine, which subsequently enters the liver and is oxidized to trimethylamine oxide by flavin monooxygenase.

This substance has the effect of inhibiting the degradation of cholesterol in the blood. When cholesterol is deposited on the arterial wall, it may cause Thickening and hardening of blood vessel walls.

• Diabetes and Heart Disease

Published in BMC A study in the journal Medicine from Oxford University involving 500,000 people found that eating an extra 50g of unprocessed red meat per day was associated with a 21% increased risk of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, 16% increased risk of disease.

Is there a risk of cancer from eating pork?

The protein content of fresh pork lean meat is as high as 26% of the whole weight, and if calculated by dry weight, the protein content is as high as 89%, it can be said that pork is one of the richest sources of protein. And meat protein contains amino acids necessary for the body to grow and function, and in fact, meat is one of the most complete dietary sources of protein.

Animal protein has an energy supply that cannot be replaced by other foods. Although red meat may cause cancer, as long as the amount is controlled, you can also eat red meat healthily. Do the following 3 routinely Points:

1. The daily diet should betry to choose lean meat, such as tenderloin , beef tendon, eat less meat with high fat content, such as pork belly, fat beef, etc.;

2. According to the dietary guidelines, The daily intake of livestock and poultry meat is 40~75 grams. You can eat a little every day, or about 3-5 times a week;

3. When cooking, try to cut large pieces of meat as much as possible In small pieces, flakes, strands, etc., and serving with other vegetables can help control your intake.

Second, pork contains a lot of hormones, is eating it harmful to the human body?

In the past, it often took a year to raise pigs for slaughter, but now meat pigs can be slaughtered in about 160 days, so many people questioned whether these pigs were beaten hormones?

In this regard, Wang Lixian, a researcher at the Institute of Animal Husbandry, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, publicly stated that due to the good breed of live pigs, the safety of feed nutrition, and the improvement of the breeding environment, the general pig breeding cycle is only 150 -180 days. The development and application of modern feed and feed additives has greatly improved the feed conversion rate.The feed additives used are all food grade, and there are no additives that endanger human health strong>.

However, it should be reminded that there are 3 kinds of pork that are not recommended for everyone to buy.

1. Unglossy pork

The gloss and freshness of the meat surface There is a great connection, fresh pork is generally reddish and glossy.

2. Sticky pork strong>

Fresh pork should be springy, greasy, and not sticky. If the pork is spoiled and many microorganisms adhere to it, the surface will be sticky to the touch.

3. Pork that smells peculiar

Fresh pork smells fresh and slightly fresh Grease smells, but doesn’t stink.

In addition, do not eat pork that has been repeatedly frozen. Even if the fresh meat in the refrigerator is thawed repeatedly, it will affect the quality of the meat, making the meat more likely to be eroded by bacteria and viruses, thus turning into “poisonous meat” “! For daily purchase of pork, it is best to go to regular places to buy it.

Third, the real carcinogens are these two kinds of meat. It is better to eat less.

Scientific intake of moderate amounts of red meat is good for health and harmless, but These two types of meat, which are clearly classified as class 1 carcinogens, are often eaten and are likely to increase the risk of cancer.

1. Processed meat

There is ample evidence that the daily intake of processed meat 50 grams of meat increases the risk of bowel cancer by 18%. Processed meat contains a lot of nitrates and nitrites, which can easily interact with the stomach and transform into carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Typical processed meats include hot dogs, ham, sausages, salt-cured beef, jerky, beef jerky, canned meats, and meat preparations and sauces

2, cured meat

Cured meat not only contains nitrite, but also may be roasted and smoked at high temperature during processing, which can form carcinogens such as benzopyrene and heterocyclic amines. Cured meat includes salted fish, bacon, sausage, preserved duck, etc.

How to eat healthy meat?

Cut in small pieces, control the total amount: When cooking meat, you can Cut into small pieces before cooking, so that consumers can control their intake.

Preference for white meat: try to choose White meat such as poultry and fish has relatively low fat content, and some fish are also rich in EPA and DHA, which can prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease.

Steam more, bake less: When meat is grilled or fried, not only does it lose a lot of nutrients, but also The heat is also much higher. Therefore, steaming, blanching, boiling, and frying with less oil are healthier than frying, marinating, smoking, and marinating.

The diet should not be extreme. The purpose of this article is not to persuade everyone not to eat meat, but Eat meat in moderation with healthy cooking methods. Of course, meat is not the only source of protein. For vegetarians, you can also choose milk, eggs, soybeans, etc. for supplementation.

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