Is beef a good nutrition or a carcinogen? Can Eating Beef Often Cause Cancer? tell you the truth

"Mom, I want to eat beef hot pot! It just happens that the temperature has cooled down these few days, why don't we eat it tomorrow." Xiaorou just came home from get off work, and she hugged her mother's arm and acted like a baby.

"Beef? A few days ago, I heard from Aunt Wang next door that eating too much beef can cause cancer. Why don't we eat the bottom of the mushroom pot, which is nutritious." Mom replied while knitting a scarf.

"How can beef cause cancer? Why have I never heard of this statement? Aunt Wang must have been deceived by an article on a marketing account." Xiaorou asked suspiciously.

"What kind of nonsense is it? It seems that the WHO said that beef is a carcinogen, and eating too much is easy to cause cancer. It sounds so scary, it is better to eat less."

Xiaorou is dubious. Beef is a meat with rich nutritional value. Why is there a saying that "beef causes cancer" suddenly?

1. Can eating too much beef cause cancer?

The saying that beef can cause cancer is derived from the fact that red meat is carcinogenic, and beef is a kind of red meat.

In 2015, red meat was listed by the World Health Organization as a Class 2A carcinogen, that is, a substance that has been proved to be carcinogenic in animal experiments and may be carcinogenic to humans . In addition to beef, the meat of mammals such as pork and mutton also belongs to red meat.

Before knowing whether beef can cause cancer, we need to have enough understanding of beef.

Beef is a food with rich nutritional value. It is rich in protein and fat , which can help the human body to replenish energy. And it is also rich in iron , which can increase the content of hemoglobin in the body after intake, which is helpful to relieve hypotension and anemia.

As for the claim that beef causes cancer, Xiao Jiu wants to say that any statement that does not talk about the dose is "hooliganism". Whether it is carcinogenic or not has a great relationship with intake and frequency .

The World Cancer Foundation has evaluated the intake of red meat and found that a weekly intake of red meat below 500g does not increase the risk of bowel cancer, which is about 70g per day .

The Chinese dietary guidelines recommend a daily poultry intake of 40-75g , which is also consistent with this value. As long as the daily intake of red meat is controlled, it will not cause cancer, so there is no need to worry too much.

2. Beef has "green light", is it spoiled?

People who have observed beef will find that there will be obvious green light on the cooked beef. It is suspected that this is caused by deterioration. What is the truth?

Meat is composed of various components such as protein, fat and minerals. Different components have their own unique chemical properties and can also show different colors.

When the meat is cut, the muscle fibers inside it will also be cut off, forming a unique concave-convex structure. When light hits the meat, it will be reflected, split, and refracted, and then different colors will appear on the meat. This phenomenon is also called the grating effect . The grating effect typically occurs on cooked meat , as the refracted red color is absorbed as the meat is cooked.

When you find green on the beef, you only need to change the angle, and the color will disappear or change into other colors. This is a normal phenomenon and can be eaten normally.

What really needs to be vigilant is the raw meat that turns green. The green color of raw meat often means that the meat has gone bad .

That is, the meat has been contaminated with bacterial plaque, which then takes on an unusual green color. This green color will not have a metallic sheen, will not change color even when the angle is changed, and will give off an unpleasant smell on the meat.

3. Red meat VS white meat, which one is healthier for the human body?

Many people compare red meat with white meat, thinking that white meat is healthier. After all, it is not listed as a carcinogen. Is white meat really healthier than red meat?

Foods such as chicken, duck, fish, shrimp, and shellfish are white meat. Compared with red meat, white meat has more delicate muscle fibers and tastes more tender.

In terms of nutritional value, the fat content in white meat is low and the content of unsaturated fatty acids is high. Some seafood also contains nutrients such as DHA and EPA, which are beneficial to cardiovascular and blood lipid health; red meat is rich in High-quality protein, iron, phosphorus and other elements are important sources of iron in the diet.

So how should you choose?

Both types of meat are rich in protein, and white meat is relatively lower in fat, which is more beneficial to cardiovascular health. However, the content of iron in white meat is lower, and the utilization rate is lower than that of red meat.

For some people with anemia, it is recommended to maintain a daily intake of red meat , not just eat white meat. For people who do not have anemia themselves, white meat is recommended as the main daily meat intake.

In addition, it needs to be reminded that it is best to choose fresh meat, and the cooking methods are mainly boiled and stewed, and reduce the intake of meat cooked at high temperature, such as charcoal grilling and deep frying.

The amount of daily meat intake should be controlled, and a large amount of meat should not be consumed blindly. While eating meat, don't forget to ensure the intake of fruits and vegetables , so that the body can take in a variety of nutrients and avoid insufficient nutritional intake.

Meat products are very important for the body's nutritional intake. There is no need to resist red meat too much every day, and maintaining an appropriate intake will not threaten health.

References:

[1] "Strange! Why does beef often take "green light"? Is it spoiled? The truth is not simple...". Popular Science China 2020-12-20

[2] "Eating beef makes people stronger? Beef causes cancer? Can you eat beef happily? ". Nut shell2021-02-28

[3] "Which is more friendly to the body, "red meat" or "white meat"?" A nutritionist recommends that you eat like this". Life Times 2021-02-24

Reprinting is prohibited without the author's permission