Fries
are my weakness, just by reading this article and no matter what scientists say,
I just want to go out and get fries. Well the FDA is warning people to cut down
on acrylamide. This chemical is linked
to cancer, acrylamide can form in plant-based, starchy foods when cooked at
high-temperatures like baking or frying. Foods that contain acrylamide include french
fries, coffee, crackers, toasted breads and dried fruits. I know almost
everything causes cancer but why does it have to be french fries and coffee. The
acrylamide chemical is created from sugars and an amino acid that is found in
food, but does not form in dairy, meat or
fish products. Research on this chemical is relatively new, but it has been
linked to higher rates of cancer in animals so it is thought to be a carcinogen
for humans as well.
Steps
to reduce acrylamide:
Stop
consumption of one or two foods high in acrylamide
Boil
or steams foods, this does not form acrylamide
Do
not overcook or over crisp when frying
Cook
potatoes till golden yellow not brown
Do
not store potatoes in the refrigerator (the refrigerator increases the amount
of acrylamide)
Bread
should be toasted to light brown, very brown areas should not be eaten
Eat
plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats
Ok,
so these steps are not so bad, but would you put down the fries? Would you go
on this craze and do what they say or just continue to eat the same?
Here
is the article if you would like to read it:
It seems like no matter what we do something is going to give us cancer. If it wasn't enough that what we store our food in and the environment is giving us cancer, but now the food we eat is doing it too. With so many possible ways to get cancer now days I don't really see the point to obsess about it. I say live as long, happy and healthy as you can, because it seems like no matter what you can't prevent getting cancer.
ReplyDeleteThis just makes me sad! I can give up a lot of things but I can't give up my fries.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Quincy. I have conversations with health professionals and every time we get to the topic of carcinogenic foods, I just say, "Look, everything in moderation". I realize that in order for the statement to be true, you must assume 'everything' means 'edible food'.
ReplyDeleteSupposedly eating grilled/charred meats can be carcinogenic too...I don't spend any time worrying over that, nor will I over acrylamide in my veggies or carbs.
ReplyDeletePretty much anything we eat has the potential to cause harm. I would rather eat smarter than worry about if my food is going to kill me.
ReplyDeleteWell since baking and frying foods will cause this, I wonder if there is a boundary for what is a safe temp to cook foods under
ReplyDeleteWell, this was definitely depressing to read. At this point, I feel like almost everything has the potential to be a carcinogen. I probably won't change my eating habits, but I also don't eat much fried food to begin with.
ReplyDeleteOh no, not coffee! I feel your pain. Still, its important that we become aware of this information even if it does ruin my great love of coffee. I feel lucky to live in a time when we can identify certain compounds as carcinogens and simply remove them from our diets to lower our risk. I do agree with previous commenters in that everything should be taken in moderation; moderation is definitely key.
ReplyDelete