Charred Meat Is Carcinogenic!

Author: Leticia Celentano Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Meat processed at high temperatures to the point of blackening increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, scientists warn.

Barbecue in a restaurant, Serbian grill on the way to the sea or meatballs roasted on a campfire - everyone ate meat with charred parts. Some people find them delicious. But what is the health risk of this delicacy?

Christine Anderson, a professor at Minnesota State University in the United States and head of research on meat-related eating habits, says charred and even fried meats are responsible for some cancers .

Together with her research team, she concluded that meat processed by grilling , barbecuing or frying in fat is very likely to have carcinogenic properties . Even if the meat is masterfully cooked, with such heat treatment, the proteins that make it up become potential cancer stimulants.

The study included 62 581 people and is focused on cancer of the pancreas , a condition for which the possibilities for surgical and medical treatment are extremely limited and which is developing rapidly and aggressively. According to the World Health Organization, although this form of cancer is less common, the risk of death from the disease is extremely high, and life expectancy after diagnosis is 1 to 4 years.

During the study, the researchers noticed a significant pattern in the way food is prepared and the increased risk of cancer, as the data for pancreatic cancer almost overlapped with those for colorectal cancer - colon cancer. People who prefer steaks and other meat delicacies fried deep or in overheated fat have a 60% increased risk of developing these diseases, compared to those who prefer roasted meat or do not consume it at all. When fried meat and its frequency of consumption in this form are considered by the team as a carcinogenic factor, The statistics turned out to be very eloquent: people with the highest consumption had an extremely high risk of developing these two cancers - 80%, compared to people with the lowest intake.

Scientists cannot confirm with certainty that carcinogens develop due to the way they are treated, but their data are a sure indication that the effect is there. Nutritionists recommend that meat be cooked in a healthy way, at temperatures high enough to kill bacteria and pathogens, and low enough not to cause charring.

The healthiest ways to cook meat remain cooking and baking in the oven, again - at a moderate temperature.

Charred Meat Is Carcinogenic!

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