Nowadays, instant noodles have almost become the "savior" of many people's busy lives. When you're busy at work, working overtime at night, or even too lazy to cook, a pack of instant noodles can solve the worries of a meal. But at the same time, the discussion about the health of instant noodles has never stopped.
In particular, those remarks about "instant noodles cause cancer" have made many instant noodle lovers worried. So, is instant noodles safe or not? Does it really cause cancer? In fact, in addition to instant noodles, there are some foods in our lives that are more risky to cause cancer, and we should probably pay more attention to them.
1. Ingredients of instant noodles
What's in the instant noodles. Are the rumored preservatives and paraffin really there? In fact, the secret to the long-term preservation of instant noodles is not that a lot of preservatives are added.
The main reason why it can live a long life is because of the process of drying, dehydrating or frying, which makes it difficult for microorganisms to survive in it.
As for the "paraffin" that everyone misunderstands, it is actually food-grade polyethylene coating, which is a common and safe food packaging material around the world, and the heat of normal instant noodles cannot melt it.
Then there's the worrying acrylamide, which is found in trace amounts in some processed foods and is thought to be potentially carcinogenic.
However, in instant noodles, the amount is extremely small and far from reaching the level of health hazards. The formation of cancer is a complex process that involves many factors and cannot be determined by a single food.
2. The truth about instant noodles and cancer risk
First of all, the formation of cancer is a complex process of multiple factors and stages, including multiple aspects such as genetic inheritance, environmental factors, and lifestyle. Among them, eating habits undoubtedly occupy an important part.
As for instant noodles themselves, scientific studies have shown that there is no direct evidence that the main ingredient causes cancer. Acrylamide, although classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, is found in levels well below dangerous levels in instant noodles.
However, this does not mean that eating instant noodles frequently and in large quantities is harmless. Long-term consumption of instant noodles often lacks essential nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, which may cause nutritional imbalance, which indirectly increases the likelihood of disease.
In addition, the high salt and fat content of some instant noodles are also health risks. Long-term excessive sodium intake increases the risk of hypertension, an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which in turn is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.
Although instant noodles themselves do not directly cause cancer, the associated dietary habits may increase the risk of cancer.
3. Four foods with a higher risk of cancer
It cannot be ignored that there are actually some foods that are at greater risk of causing cancer, and they are:
1. Pickled foods: These foods, such as salted fish and kimchi, are prone to stomach cancer due to the large amount of salt and preservatives added to their production.
Studies have shown that chemicals such as nitrite contained in pickled products can be converted into N-nitrosamines, which are compounds with strong carcinogenic effects.
2. Processed meat products: Bacon, sausages and other processed meat products are classified as Class 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization due to the addition of a large amount of salt and nitrite to preserve freshness, that is, they are known to cause cancer to humans.
3. Barbecue food: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo[a]pyrene produced by high-temperature cooking (such as barbecue) have obvious carcinogenicity, especially have a greater impact on the digestive system.
4. High alcohol and alcoholic beverages: Alcohol and its metabolite acetaldehyde are harmful to the human body, and long-term consumption of large amounts can increase the risk of oral cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer.
4. Balanced diet and cancer prevention
A balanced diet means a variety of foods and a comprehensive range of nutrients, which not only reduces the health risks that a particular food may pose, but also provides the body with the energy and substances to fight off disease.
Scientific studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of several types of cancer. The antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of cancer by reducing the damage caused by free radicals to cells.
For example, lycopene in tomatoes and anthocyanins in blueberries are both powerful antioxidants that help maintain cellular health.
5. Holistic consideration of lifestyle
In addition to diet, other aspects of lifestyle also have a non-negligible impact on cancer risk. Poor lifestyle habits, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and staying up late for long periods of time, have all been shown to be associated with an increased risk of cancer.
For example, smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer, while increased physical activity has been shown to be associated with a reduced risk of several types of cancer.
Therefore, cancer prevention is not just about focusing on what we eat, but more importantly about focusing on our lifestyle. Adopting a holistic, active lifestyle, taking into account multiple aspects such as diet, exercise, rest, etc., is essential to reduce cancer risk.
summary
While instant noodles play an indispensable role in modern life, we should be rational about their impact on health. Instant noodles themselves are not the direct "culprit" of causing cancer, but relying too much on such processed foods and ignoring the importance of a balanced diet may ultimately affect your health.
At the same time, we should also pay more attention to those foods that have been scientifically proven to have a higher risk of causing cancer, such as preserved foods and processed meat products.