What are the hidden harms in cooking food?

What are the hidden harms in cooking food?

According to a new study, certain methods of cooking can be harmful to health. These methods can cause a number of problems, from producing toxins to increasing the risk of lung cancer.

Gina Michi-oki states convincingly that 'the main reason we evolved to become human is because we started cooking our food.'

'When we only ate raw food, we had to eat constantly because our bodies had to work so hard to get the nutrients from that raw food.'

Biologists agree with Michi Oki, who studied how a person's diet and lifestyle affects their immune system at the University of Sussex. Indeed, there is much evidence to show that human evolution is directly related to the use of fire.

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When our ancestors began to cook and modify their food, it increased the amount of calories and fat in the body. Due to this, less energy was spent in digesting food and more nutrients were obtained. Apart from this, the food had to be chewed less.

It is also believed that due to the cooking of food, human jaws became smaller and the brain grew and the ability to think increased. In addition, cooking also kills harmful bacteria found on food, reducing the risk of food poisoning.

These are the advantages of cooking food but there are some hidden disadvantages of cooking at high temperature.

On the one hand, raw foods and new cooking methods are becoming popular again in the world, on the other hand, scientists are discussing more cooked foods.

Acrylamide: Cancer risk from overcooking

Cooking methods can vary to prepare a dish. For certain cooking methods, it is important to know what you are cooking.

In particular, for foods that contain starch, the Food Standards Agency, or FSA, in the UK has identified a risk and that is acrylamide.

This chemical is used in industries to make paper and plastics, but when food is fried, pan-fried or grilled at high temperatures and for long periods of time, a chemical called acrylamide is produced.

Foods that are high in carbohydrates such as potatoes, double bread, cereals, coffee, cakes and biscuits etc. are prone to overproduction of this chemical. When they start to darken, become more brown or look burnt during cooking, there is a risk of this chemical being produced.

Acrylamide has been investigated as a possible cause of cancer, although the most recent evidence showing a link between cancer and this chemical comes from animals. Michi-oki, dieticians and institutions advocate that consumption of foods high in acrylamide should be avoided.

To avoid excessive acrylamide build-up, the FSA advises that when cooking potatoes, try not to overcook them once they are golden brown, and if potatoes are to be cooked at high temperatures, do not refrigerate them, as cold potatoes turn into sugars. secretes which combine with amino acids to form acrylamide during ripening. The key is not to overcook these items to prevent acrylamide from forming.

But acrylamide isn't the only danger, says Michi Oki. If people's diet is not balanced and they continue to eat harmful things, the risks of cancer will also increase.

Kitchen smoke and lung cancer

The effects of cooking depend not only on what we eat, but also on what is being inhaled into our bodies.

Stoves themselves are a major cause of disease in developing countries. In these countries, raw fuels like wood, crop waste and coal etc. are used for cooking. According to the World Health Organization, 3.8 million people worldwide die prematurely every year due to this reason.

But certain food ingredients cause air pollution in closed spaces and consequent diseases.

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment found evidence that vaporizing edible oils increases the risk of cancer.

Researchers looked at nearly 9,500 people in 23 different studies in China and found that women who cooked without adequate ventilation in their kitchens had a higher risk of lung cancer. . Also, different cooking methods have different effects. For example, stir-frying increases the risk of lung cancer while deep-frying does not.

Other studies have also found that if pregnant women continue to breathe in the fumes and vapors of cooking oil, the birth weight of the child may be low.

A 2017 study in Taiwan compared different cooking methods. According to the authors of the study, sunflower cooking oil and deep-frying and pan-frying produce toxins that increase the risk of lung cancer if inhaled. Research also suggests that oils that are low in unsaturated fat, such as palm, and light frying may reduce these risks.

Cooked meat and diabetes

Meat eaters will have to consider two things, one is how often they eat meat and how they cook it.

Various studies have shown that grilling, barbecuing, and cooking red meat at high temperatures in the oven increases the risk of diabetes in women in the United States. However, it is not yet clear why this effect is limited to women and not men.

Another study also found a link between cooking red meat, poultry and fish over high heat and high heat and type 2 diabetes, a risk factor for both women and men.

It is important to note here that other factors such as lifestyle, exercise and sugar consumption have not been taken into account in these studies. 

Alternative cooking methods

Cooking methods have changed and diversified over the past century, and the cooking process has included things other than the ancient means of obtaining heat. Microwaves, electric stoves and toasters are now in almost every home as an alternative to open flames.

Scientists are calling microwave cooking a healthier method, depending on what you're cooking in it.

For example, a new study conducted in Spain says that cooking mushrooms in the microwave is a better method because it preserves the antioxidants found in them. Antioxidants are substances that protect human cells from damage. Instead, if mushrooms are fried or boiled, their antioxidants are reduced.

There is also evidence that cooking vegetables less and using less water to cook them preserves their vitamins and beneficial nutrients. This means that it is better to use the microwave as this way the beneficial ingredients in the vegetables are lost to a minimum. While during boiling, the useful ingredients go into the water.

Also, steaming is better than boiling. Anything you cook for too long and at too high a temperature will cause problems.

Another problem with high-heat frying is that some fats undergo chemical changes when heated. Its useful components are changed and become harmful. For example, olive oil loses many of its beneficial components when heated, such as oleocanthal, which is supposed to reduce inflammation in the body. Instead, harmful compounds such as aldehydes are produced.

Olive oil is still the choice of experts today because of its beneficial properties, provided it is not cooked for too long.

Gina Michi-oki says that cooking meat and carbohydrates provides their nutrients and is better than eating them raw. After all, our ancestors started cooking things for a reason.