Celebrity commentator stirs up controversy over "I can't even afford to eat pickled mustard tuber" ~ Can eating too much pickled mustard tuber cause cancer? Nutritionist: Eat this to relieve constipation

A few days ago, a famous commentator said: "Chinese people can't afford pickled mustard tuber", which triggered a heated debate among netizens, with some retorting, "We can afford it." The main character of the play, zhacai, has the effects of stimulating appetite, aiding digestion and relieving constipation. It has always been the soul partner of noodles. Zhacai can also be seen in the zhacai fried shredded pork and zhacai shredded pork soup that many people love to eat on the table. No wonder zhacai, along with German sweet and sour cabbage and European pickled cucumbers, are known as the world's three most famous pickled vegetables. However, there is a rumor on the Internet: "Eating too much pickled mustard tuber can cause cancer?" Is it true? Let’s hear what nutrition experts have to say.

Sichuan Fuling Zhacai is famous, a delicious side dish on the table

People who know how to eat pickles probably know that the sauerkraut in the often-eaten vegetable and pork hotpot is a specialty of Northeast China; the soybean sprouts that are indispensable for the spicy hotpot are a famous agricultural product in Sichuan; and the famous pickled mustard tuber in Fuling are all delicious side dishes on the table, and are indispensable for adding the finishing touch.

In fact, zhacai is a world-famous pickled vegetable in mainland China. It is a kind of mustard. The lower part of its above-ground part is a fat tuber. The strange-looking tuber mustard is called "green vegetable head", "baobao cabbage" and "lumpy vegetable". The zhacai made from this "lumpy head" is the zhacai that Chinese people often eat. In addition to the unique flavor and taste of pickled mustard tuber, every 100 grams of pickled mustard tuber contains about 20 calories and the minerals potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. It is worth noting that the sodium content is very high, exceeding 2000 mg. It also contains more vitamin A, β-carotene, and a small amount of dietary fiber, protein, etc.

Eating mustard can stimulate appetite, aid digestion and relieve constipation

Eating pickled mustard tuber not only helps increase appetite, stimulate the appetite and aid digestion, it also contains carotene and fiber, so it can improve eyesight and relieve constipation. However, you should not eat too much pickled mustard tuber because it is high in sodium. Excessive consumption may cause high blood pressure, increase the burden on the heart, and cause cardiovascular disease.

There are roughly two common methods for making pickled mustard tuber: one is the traditional air-drying method, which is to string fresh vegetable heads together with thin iron wires, hang them on a rack to let the wind dry, and then put them in a special pickling pool, where they must be arranged in a layer of air-dried vegetable heads and a layer of salt. The other is a simple salt dehydration method, which is to pour the turnips directly into the pickling pool and arrange them in a layer of air-dried turnips and a layer of salt. However, you need to add a little more salt, remove the moisture, and then add a variety of spices, seal the can, and place it in a cool place. After a period of fermentation, it becomes edible pickled mustard.

Will eating too much pickled mustard tuber cause cancer? Nutritionist's answer

After understanding the production method of pickled mustard tuber, let’s interpret the rumors spread by netizens: “Will eating too much pickled mustard tuber cause cancer?” Does pickled mustard tuber contain preservatives or nitrites? Does nitrite really cause cancer? Which foods are the main dangerous foods containing nitrite? Nutritionist Hong Ruopu from the Zhongxiao branch of Taipei Municipal United Hospital said that there are two main sources of nitrite: the first is the nitrite contained in food and water itself, and the other is food additives. For example, vegetables may contain trace amounts of nitrite after being fertilized and sprayed with pesticides. However, the human body will naturally metabolize this nitrite, and if it is thoroughly cleaned, it will not enter the body and combine with amines in the gastrointestinal tract to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Nutritionist Hong Ruopu said that although zhacai is a food made by salting, it is like eating salted fish. As long as excessive nitrite is not added during the production process, and especially if it is not consumed for a long time or frequently, generally speaking, the relative risk of increasing cancer is not high. If you are still worried, it is best to eat pickled mustard tuber with fresh fruits and vegetables, because fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which can inhibit the formation of nitrosamines.

According to the regulations issued by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, the allowable daily intake of nitrite is 0-0.2 mg/kg. To put it in perspective, an adult weighing 60 kg will not have to worry about harm to the human body if the daily intake does not exceed 12 mg. As long as the food is qualified, there is no need to worry about nitrite poisoning.

[Nutritionist's Tips]:

The nitrite content in pickled vegetables will reach a peak within a few days to a dozen days of pickling, and will slowly decrease after 2-3 weeks, and will reach a safe level after 20 days. The nitrite content in food is less than 10 mg, which is in line with national safety standards, so there is no need to panic.