The Dark Side Of Smoked Foods

Video: The Dark Side Of Smoked Foods

Video: The Dark Side Of Smoked Foods
Video: 2 Reasons Smoked Meats Are Harmful 2024, November
The Dark Side Of Smoked Foods
The Dark Side Of Smoked Foods
Anonim

Smoked meats can be quite addictive because they are very tasty and can be eaten alone or as part of various dishes. Smoked meats are easy to combine and even without cooking them specially, they can bring unforgettable culinary pleasure to even the most discerning palate.

The process of smoking meat is an ancient culinary practice that is practiced by various cultures around the world. There are literally thousands of delicacies that are based on this method of cooking. Of course, while chefs constantly emphasize the qualities of smoked meat, doctors are much more critical.

When food is prepared, there are many chemical reactions that take place in it. While some of these reactions make food amazing and irresistible, there are a few that can be detrimental to our health if safety standards are not met.

Recent studies of smoked or barbecue foods show that they contain chemical contaminants that are harmful to our health and can cause dangerous diseases such as cancer and heart disease in the long run. This is because the cooking process involves burning fuel, which contaminates the meat with many chemical components that are carcinogenic.

Smoked fish
Smoked fish

A recent campaign launched by the European Food Standards Agency also warned consumers about the risks of cancer when eating smoked products. This applies not only to meat, but also to cheese and yellow cheese.

Studies show that many chemical contaminants are formed during fuel combustion both in the smoking process and in direct drying. Examples include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, formaldehyde, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, nitrosamines. In smoked meat products in European stores were even found heavy metals carried by the fuel with which the products were prepared.

Smoked chicken
Smoked chicken

Photo: Siya Ribagina

So should we eat smoked meat at all? Yes, but if we are sure it is cooked properly. If the correct procedure is not followed and the correct fuel and appropriate temperatures are not used, toxic chemicals accumulate in the meat, which can cause stomach, skin, lung and other cancers if exposed to them for a long time.

Experts recommend buying meat prepared in this way only from reliable sources. If you are not convinced that smoking is good, limit its consumption to no more than once a month.

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