Are Smoked Meats And Cheeses Harmful?

Video: Are Smoked Meats And Cheeses Harmful?

Video: Are Smoked Meats And Cheeses Harmful?
Video: 2 Reasons Smoked Meats Are Harmful 2024, December
Are Smoked Meats And Cheeses Harmful?
Are Smoked Meats And Cheeses Harmful?
Anonim

In recent years, the opinion has been circulating that smoked products are harmful. This is true.

Smoked products - meat, fish, cheese, contain carcinogenic substances, the so-called N-nitrosamines. They are distributed in the environment by nitrates, nitrites and amines and are very dangerous.

They are chemical compounds that are formed by the reaction of nitrites with secondary amines. The formation of nitrosamines can occur only under certain conditions, such as - high acidity of the environment (such as in the stomach), high temperatures (as in frying) and others.

Smoked Fish
Smoked Fish

Nitrosamines are extremely carcinogenic. They are found mostly in foods that have been treated with sodium nitrite. It is added to many meats to slow the growth of bacteria and protect fresh red meats from darkening.

When subjected to heat treatment, such as cooking, sodium nitrite reacts with the amines that are always present in it, and nitrosamines are formed. On the other hand, food nitrites and amines in the stomach form nitrosamines. This can lead to stomach cancer.

Nitrites are used in smoking meat to improve the taste and appearance. Due to its harmful effects, its content in food has been halved in the last 30 years

Smoked cheese
Smoked cheese

Regarding the smoking of meat, cold smoking is considered more harmless. This is because at high temperatures carcinogens are actively deposited on the surface and penetrate inside.

Experts advise when choosing such products to choose cold-smoked and those with thicker skin. Thus, the carcinogens remain on the surface, which can be cut.

Smoked cheese is also called melted cheese. It is not as harmful as smoked meats, but compared to hard cheeses it is not that healthy. Due to its high sodium content, it is an unsuitable food for people suffering from hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Thus, soft and delicious processed cheeses actually contain unnecessary chemical (E) and phosphate food additives, as well as a large amount of salts. They can cause allergic reactions, and phosphates are dangerous for people who have kidney disease.

Their high content damages the bones, which over time can become brittle. And last but not least - melted cheese is extremely high in calories.

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