A generic term for chemical substances that induce cancer. Want to know what are carcinogens? Carcinogens also exist in nature. For example, mycotoxin represented by aflatoxin. Substances that are contained in food and are suspected to be carcinogenic include aflatoxin B 1 which is a mold venom, heterocyclic amines found in the charred meat and fish, and many carbohydrates such as potatoes. There are acrylamides that are produced when food is heated at high temperature, such as being fed with oil.
Although these substances are taken in small amounts on a daily basis, it is better to try to reduce the intake of carcinogens as much as possible.
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Alfatoxins can be dangerous
The IARC (International Organization for Cancer Research) listed 50 types of substances with apparent carcinogenicity as group 1 and approximately 200 types with suspected carcinogenicity as group 2 based on animal experiments of substances with suspected carcinogenicity. Most of them are substances that are used in occupations or as pharmaceuticals. The one with the strongest carcinogenicity is aflatoxin.
Aflatoxin B 1 is produced by molds such as Aspergillus flavus that live in tropical and subtropical regions, and is known as the strongest carcinogen in natural products. However, since there are cases where it is detected in nuts and spices imported from overseas, quarantine stations etc. are inspecting and instructing that foods contaminated with aflatoxin. Heterocyclic amine and acrylamide are produced during the cooking process. When cooking at home, we think that it is possible to reduce it by devising the cooking method, such as heating meat, fish, or foods rich in carbohydrates such as potatoes for a longer period than necessary or not heating at high temperature. It is possible.
In addition, in order to have natural cancer treatment and a healthy diet, it is important not only to pay attention to the cooking method, but also to take a good balance of various foods containing sufficient vegetables and fruits.
First of all, the diet should be balanced. What does it mean? Daily nutrition should contain several hundred different substances necessary for life, but in trace amounts – e.g. 60 milligrams of vitamin C or 5 grams of salt. To eat healthy and feel good, we should eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. However, that doesn’t mean we have to empty our entire bowl of lettuce five times a day. A few grapes will already fill one serving.
You should have two different vegetables in each meal. Two whole vegetables. A slice of cucumber or tomato does not fulfill this postulate. And eat in such a way that you eat your vegetables first, so that later you won’t be able to squeeze into yourself because you are already full. Better not to eat any bread or meat, but eat the whole vegetables.
Thanks to the research of scientists, we have more and more knowledge about the anti-cancer diet and the potential to reduce the likelihood of cancer, which is found in certain foods – primarily vegetables and fruits. The optimal anti-cancer diet is not so much about single nutrients, but rather their interaction and synergy in a balanced, varied diet.
A famous English proverb says: “one apple a day keeps the doctor away” – ” You want to see a doctor rarely? Eat an apple once a day. “It has now been modified. One apple is not enough to effectively protect our body against disease. It is recommended that you eat five portions of vegetables and fruit a day. The World Health Organization WHO goes further and recommends up to eight to ten servings per day in an anti-cancer diet in the context of cancer prevention.
Stop eating blindly
The risk of cancer from foods with a high salt content such as salted fish and dried fish is that gastric cancer is most common due to the reaction of food ingredients such as fish, vegetables and pickles with nitric acid in the stomach, and the formation of nitroso compounds. It is also thought that the esophageal mucous membrane is damaged when a large amount of drinking habits and hot foods are eaten. Especially as the amount of alcohol consumed per day increases, it tends to be more than double that of those who do not drink alcohol.
Foods with cancer prevention are to take in vegetables, fruits, vegetable oils and fats containing vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, as well as foods containing functional ingredients (polyphenols, carotenoids, etc.). Polyphenols and carotenoids have antioxidant effects and have the function of removing active oxygen in the body.
It is said that people who have a high intake of β-carotene contained in green-yellow vegetables are at low risk of developing lung cancer. There are also reports that intake of vitamin D, calcium, folic acid lowers the risk of colorectal cancer.
