Even the masters of the Imperial Palace suffered! How Much Do You Know About Smoked Meat Causing Cancer?

Among human organs, the pancreas is known as the "master of the inner chamber". It is not only a digestive organ, but also plays a dual role in endocrine regulation. According to foreign news reports, "eating too much smoked meat products can easily lead to pancreatic cancer." In fact, smoked and pickled substances such as sausages, ham, and hot dogs contain high amounts of borax and nitrates. If excessive amounts are added during food processing, they will react with amines in meat, vegetables, and beets in gastric juice to synthesize nitrosamines, which are also highly carcinogenic. It not only easily causes pancreatic cancer, but is also an invisible killer of colorectal cancer. Nitrosamines, preservatives and colorants added to bacon and sausages in processed foods, can easily cause pancreatic cancer.

Liu Qinyu, associate professor of the Department of Nutrition at Fu Jen Catholic University, pointed out that the occurrence of cancer is affected by factors such as environment, genetics and diet, and 60% of cancers are caused by long-term improper diet and lifestyle habits. Generally speaking, there are many carcinogenic factors lurking inside the human body. Although they are silent at ordinary times, when the body is in an unbalanced condition, these carcinogenic factors will send out signals to transform normal cells into malignant tumor cells, causing tissues and organs to lose their normal functions, and even taking away precious lives.

Clinically, the function of the pancreas is mainly to secrete pancreatic juice to assist in the digestion and absorption of food; it also secretes insulin, glucagons, etc. to regulate the metabolism of glucose, lipids, and proteins. Because the pancreas is located deep in the lower digestive tract, early pancreatic cancer has almost no symptoms, so pancreatic cancer is also called the "silent killer." In clinical practice, upper abdominal pain is the most common symptom of pancreatic cancer.

Nutritionist Liu Qinyu emphasized that improper eating habits and excessive intake of smoked meat and processed foods can indeed easily cause cancer. In particular, red meat is rich in "hemoferrin", which has been shown to promote the production of nitroso compounds in red meat. As for the preservative and colorant nitrosamines added to processed foods such as bacon and sausages, their purpose is to make the meat appear pink and prevent the growth of botulism bacteria. Such additives are also found in smoked and salted fish.

Since they are not produced in the human body but are added externally or produced during processing, they are called "exogenous nitroso compounds" and they have also been proven to be carcinogenic. According to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), a colorectal cancer risk research report released in May last year confirmed that red meat, processed meat products, and alcohol (especially for men) are high-risk factors for colorectal cancer, while garlic, milk, and calcium are foods that may reduce the risk.

In addition, processed meats such as bacon, beef jerky, scallop sauce, and squid shreds have high sodium content, with each 100 grams accounting for half of the 2,400 milligrams required per person per day. The sodium content of dried tofu and candied fruits is also not low, ranging from 300 to 1,100 milligrams per 100 grams, which is about 1 to 3 grams of table salt. Excessive sodium intake may increase blood pressure and affect water metabolism, causing edema. Patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension and kidney disease should pay special attention to this.