Aunt Li's biggest hobby on weekdays is to go to the market and pick a few fresh fish to cook at home. The exquisite cooking skills can always cook the fish to the fullest, flavorful and memorable.
However, a recent article circulating on the Internet has worried her. The article read: "Eating fish can actually cause cancer?", which made her frown, and her heart was full of doubts and uneasiness.
Aunt Li, who has loved fish all her life, was suddenly told that this long-term eating habit might pose a threat to her health, how did she accept this?
Have those delicious fish and those happy dinner times become invisible killers of health? Do you really want to give up eating fish?
In fact, Aunt Li's doubts are not groundless. With the increasing health awareness, people are becoming more cautious about their food choices.
In recent years, the topic of food and health has attracted more and more attention, is fish really safe as a traditional healthy food?
01
Although fish is recognized as a healthy food, in recent years, some studies have raised opposing voices. An early study in The Lancet showed that people who ate fish 3-4 times a week had better intellectual and motor performance in infants and young children.
However, with the deterioration of the environment, the pollution of oceans and rivers has led to the accumulation of heavy metals and harmful chemicals in the body of fish, which can pose a threat to human health.
A recent study in the Journal of American Cancer Centers, involving 88,000 people, showed that people who consumed fish frequently had a higher risk of early-onset colorectal cancer, especially women, who had a relatively higher risk of developing early-onset colorectal cancer, whether they ate fish monthly or weekly. The results of this study are undoubtedly a subversion of conventional wisdom.
In addition, a study led by epidemiologist Yufei Li from Brown University further noted that people who consumed a large amount of fish (43g) per day had a 22% higher risk of developing melanoma than those who consumed a small amount (3g). This finding forced us to re-examine the safety of fish intake.
02
So, can we still eat fish? The answer is yes. The key is how we choose and cook fish and control our intake.
01. Grilled fish and fried fish
Grilled and fried fish are delicious, but high-temperature processing may produce carcinogens such as benzopyrene, so the use of these cooking methods should be minimized.
02. Sashimi
Sashimi retains the original flavor of the fish, but there is a risk of parasitic infection, so it should also be chosen carefully.
03. Formaldehyde fish
In order to extend the shelf life of fish products, some unscrupulous businesses in the market may add formaldehyde to fish, which is not only illegal, but may also cause leukemia and other types of cancer.
04. Chinese-style salted fish
Chinese salted fish may produce large amounts of nitrite during the curing process, and when these substances react with proteins in the stomach during digestion, nitrosamines, a known carcinogen, may be formed.
Although salted fish has a place in the traditional diet, we need to be cautious about its intake and avoid eating it in large quantities for a long time.
03
We should also take care to control our fish intake. According to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022), the amount of fish consumed per week should be 300-500 grams, or about twice a week.
This not only ensures that we are getting the nutrients in the fish, but also avoids the risks that may arise from excessive intake.
04
Late spring and early summer are the most delicious time for fish, and the nutritional value of fish at this time is relatively high. For example, crucian carp and yellow croaker are very good choices.
Crucian carp is flat and sweet, belongs to the spleen meridian and stomach meridian, has the effect of strengthening the spleen and stomach, diluting water and reducing swelling, crucian carp soup is not only delicious, but also especially suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach.
Yellow croaker is high in vitamin D and can be eaten in conjunction with calcium-rich foods such as tofu to promote bone development.
Eating fish is not completely harmless, nor is it absolutely harmful. The key is how we choose and cook fish scientifically and control our intake.
Only in this way can we truly enjoy the deliciousness and health that comes from eating fish.
Source: 24 Solar Terms Healthy Eyes, CQTV Safety and Law, Nanyang Radio and Television Education Online
Statement: The article is a public welfare popular science, such as invasion and deletion