For many there is nothing better than a piece of meat made in charcoal or grilled that is very toasted on the outside and juicy on the inside, and what to say of bread toast that, for some of us, the more toast the better. This preference for “excessively golden “foods also occurs with other foods such as pizza or fried potatoes, however the claim that eating in this way can be harmful to one’s health and even increase the risk of cancer, worries many .

What effect does the food burned on the body have?

The cooking process affects the properties of the food we eat and also interferes with the amount of nutrients we receive. For example, many vegetables are best consumed well washed but raw or lightly steamed, rather than in preparations such as fried, baked or grilled. In the same way, a piece of meat that is undercooked or half-finished will be easier to digest through our stomach than a piece of meat that is very well made and also something burnt.

All this is important to understand if it is bad to eat burned food or not. When we cook a food too much we alter its nutritional contributions, but also any fat cooked at 250ºC or more loses its property of being natural and becomes something harmful for the organism. This happens because when we burn the food we increase the amount of carbon dioxide they contain, then ingesting those toxins that must be processed by our organism for its later elimination.

If we often consume burnt foods, there will come a time when our body will no longer be able to efficiently process the toxins, causing them to accumulate in the body, which can lead to the degeneration of the cells and various gastric or hepatic diseases.

In addition, burned food is more difficult to digest for our stomach, which must invest more time and resources in processing it. This can immediately cause stomach heaviness, acidity and digestive discomfort, giving rise to various gastric diseases that can become chronic.

Eating food burned eventually will not kill us, however if we do it several times a week or it becomes a habit for us, then our health may be affected.

Relationship between burned food and cancer

Much has been said about the fact that eating burnt food produces cancer, this link is mainly due to the fact that cooking at high temperatures of food leads to the formation of certain substances that, once ingested, pass to our body. Some of them have been linked to the formation of cancer cells.

The substances that may be present in food and that are linked to cancer are:

  • Acrylamide: an organic compound that is formed in foods when cooked at high temperatures. In humans, its link to cancer has not been conclusively demonstrated, although it has been observed that its exposure through diet may be important in the appearance of pancreatic cancer.
  • Heterocyclic amines: it is a chemical compound that is present in certain foods cooked at high temperatures, such as meat. One of the biological functions of this amine is the creation of carcinogens, agents capable of producing cancer when exposed to living agents.

Currently there is no study that can conclude that the consumption of burnt foods causes cancer. However, and based on those previously explained, being frequently exposed to the substances that are generated in the ingredients when cooked at high temperature, may increase the risk of suffering from this condition, especially cancer of the stomach, colon, pancreas, among others. .

For this reason, several medical specialists and health advisers from the European Union have invited to limit the consumption of burned food due to its acrylamide content, which could be harmful.

Everything in moderation

It is not the first time that a direct relationship is established between certain types of food and cancer. The World Health Organization has already warned that eating too much processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer, so the key to preventing burned food from becoming a problem for our health is to do it in moderation.

A piece of chicken, meat burned from time to time, or a pizza that has gone a little bit of gilt once in a while, surely will not affect you tragically. But if this is your way of eating frequently, then it is convenient that you correct it and learn to eat with the proper cooking, otherwise you will be risking your health and well-being.


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