The high incidence of cancer in China is all caused by MSG? Reminder: These 5 foods are the real carcinogens

Many people like to go to restaurants because the food they cook is delicious, and "MSG" seasoning is indispensable among them.

But I don’t know when, suddenly there were rumors about “Miso Glycerin Cancer”, which caused many people to refuse to use MSG, and even many families have never had MSG as a seasoning in their homes.

Monosodium glutamate has been branded as a "harmful spirit". Does it really " deserve what it deserves " or is it an unwarranted disaster?

1. Monosodium glutamate is "harmful essence", not only poisonous but also carcinogenic?

"Monosodium glutamate is a chemical product, so don't eat too much, it's carcinogenic!"

Although the ingredient list of MSG only says monosodium glutamate, it is actually a condiment made from pure grains. In China, the main raw materials for making monosodium glutamate are cornstarch, rice and other grains . After a series of fermentation, extraction and refining processes, monosodium glutamate is finally obtained.

These natural grains are non-toxic and harmless, so MSG is not a chemical product, it is a condiment extracted from pure grains.

The popular saying on the Internet is that "MSG will be toxic when heated" - when sodium glutamate is heated above 120°C, it will produce sodium pyroglutamate, which is carcinogenic.

In fact, this sentence is only half too much. It is true that sodium glutamate will form new substances after heating, but sodium pyroglutamate does not pose a threat to the human body, its toxicity is extremely low , and there is no research evidence that it is carcinogenic.

It's just that the high temperature produces sodium pyroglutamate, which will make the MSG lose its original freshness-enhancing effect, which is equivalent to "wasting" the MSG.

In fact, according to China's "Usage Standards for Food Additives", sodium glutamate can be used as a flavor enhancer in various foods. In 2004, after re-evaluation by the World Health Organization, it was considered that MSG is a safe food and "no need to limit it".

In other words, as long as it is used in moderation, long-term consumption of monosodium glutamate will not cause any obstacles to the human body.

2. Eating too much MSG will not only cause hair loss but also kill sperm?

Rumors about MSG, in addition to "carcinogenic", these claims are also widely circulated, let us analyze them one by one:

MSG can cause hair loss? It is said that glutamic acid in monosodium glutamate can bind zinc ions, affecting the body's absorption of zinc, thus causing hair loss.

In this regard, Dr. Wu Meng, an attending physician in the Department of Dermatology of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, said that when sodium glutamate in monosodium glutamate is ingested into the human body, it will be decomposed into glutamic acid and sodium ions. Glutamic acid is one of the amino acids that make up proteins. First, the human body itself exists and will not cause harm to health, let alone cause hair loss.

As for sodium ions, more sodium ions will indeed affect blood pressure levels and disrupt the body's endocrine mechanism. From the perspective of salt control, MSG should be consumed in moderation.

In addition, there is a saying that MSG will kill sperm?

The European Food Safety Authority has conducted a two-year mouse experiment, allowing the mice to consume more than a safe amount of monosodium glutamate every day to observe whether there will be changes in the reproductive and reproductive systems.

However, in the whole study, no toxic pathological changes were found in the mice , that is to say, monosodium glutamate can kill sperm, which is purely false.

3. What you really want to eat less is actually these 5 types of food

Monosodium glutamate has been blamed for carcinogenicity for no reason, so what are the foods that really cause cancer?

1. Salted fish, pickles

These common household side dishes all contain a lot of nitrite. Although nitrite itself is not carcinogenic, this ingredient can combine with the protein in the human stomach to generate carcinogenic nitrosamines. Therefore, it is best to eat less pickled make food.

2. Fried chicken, BBQ

Protein-rich foods such as chicken and fish are prone to produce heterocyclic amines in high-temperature environments, and heterocyclic amine compounds are highly carcinogenic. Generally speaking, the higher the heating temperature and the longer the time, the more heterocyclic amines will be produced, so try to eat less fried, barbecued and other foods.

3. Moldy nuts

Peanuts, melon seeds, hazelnuts and other nuts are prone to mildew and produce aflatoxin in a warm and humid environment. Aflatoxin is recognized as a strong carcinogen, which can cause liver cancer. Therefore, once you find that the grains or nuts are moldy, you still have to reluctantly give up and don't eat them.

4. Hot drinks at 65°C

Chinese people like to drink hot water and hot tea, but overly hot food can also cause cancer. Our oral cavity and esophageal mucosa are actually very citrusy, and burns can occur in an environment exceeding 60°C. Animal experiments have shown that repeated mucosal burns may lead to the occurrence of esophageal cancer.

5. Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol and alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. Once acetaldehyde enters the human body, it will be metabolized out of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a Class 1 carcinogen. Studies have found that it may be related to 7 types of cancer. Therefore, whether it is wine or alcoholic beverages, it is recommended to drink less, preferably not to drink.

The pathogenesis of carcinogenesis is still a big mystery for human beings. It is a bit out of place to think that monosodium glutamate can cause cancer based on MSG alone. Cancer prevention is a comprehensive science. Blindly restricting a single food is undesirable, and diversifying the diet, balanced and comprehensive nutrition is the key to cancer prevention.

References:

[1] "Will eating too much MSG cause cancer? Toxic when heated? Let’s make it clear at one time today.” Jiangxi Market Supervision. 2022-11-14

[2] "Will eating too much MSG cause cancer? Is chicken essence better than MSG? An article tells you everything... ". Popular Science China. 2021-04-30

[3] "Do you lose your hair if you eat too much MSG? Can "eating the wrong thing" really cause hair loss? ". The whole people is true-Tencent News. 2021-03-13

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