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A new study shows that acidogenic food can increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer.
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Acidogenic foods, such as red and processed meat, produce acid in their body.
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Eating more plants was correlated with a lower risk of GI cancer.
Our bodies work hard around the clock to maintain inner stability – called homeostasis – with many processes that take place inside them. One of these processes is the support of healthy pH, which is an acid and base balance. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, 7 – neutral – everything less than 7 is acidic and everything above it is main or alkaline.
For example, stomach (hydrochlori) acid should be very acidic to properly digest. It occupies about 1, just above the battery acid, but your blood pH should be neutral 7. And our bodies have amazing built -in mechanisms to adjust and maintain blood pH. For example, if your body feels too much acid, your lungs and kidneys go to work to correct the situation by disposing of carbon dioxide by breathing and urinating. Alternatively, the pancreas releases bicarbonate, a compound that helps the buffer acid.
While the body is intended to adapt to its environment to bring it back to the center, there are some questions about whether too much food can affect the development of a more acidic environment, especially in the gastrointestinal tract (GI). It may then doubt that the more acidic GI tract increases the risk of GI cancer, including liver, colorectal, stomach (stomach), pancreatic and esophageal cancer.
Korean researchers have noted that there is some evidence that people who eat a Western-style diet-are high in fat and sugar-to a more acidic environment in their body, which is favorable to the growth of malignant cells. They looked more closely at this theory and recently published their conclusions European Clinical Nutrition Journal; Let’s break them.
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How was this study done?
The data was taken from a long -term Korean study called the Cancer screen cohort, which began in 2002. Almost 11,000 participants were used for this study, about 64% of their women with an average age of 53. The participants were considered averages for eight years.
Participants had filled in food frequency questionnaires, from which the researchers calculated “dietary acid loads” with three different methods. Investigators found the number of Cancer cases using 2020. Korean National Cancer Frequency Database, which captures most cancers in the country. In addition, they checked electronic medical records to catch any cases that may not have been captured in the cancer frequency database.
The demographic information that will be adjusted in statistical analysis was BMI (measured by trained staff), physical activity level, education level, profession, family condition, first -degree family cancer history, smoking condition and alcohol consumption.
What did this study find?
In general, researchers found that people who have been diagnosed with cancer usually follow a more acidic diet than those who have no cancer. With the increase in food acid load, the risk of cancer also increased. This association was much stronger for men compared to women. For this study, researchers point to red and processed meat as the main acidic food.
Researchers are not sure why participants were at a higher risk of cancer for men than female participants, even when dietary acid load scores were similar, but offer some possible explanations. First, they say that women usually have better kidney function than men, thus giving women a greater ability to maintain an acid base balance. They also claim that there may be sex hormones because estrogen usually has a protective effect at the cellular level-it raises a question of women after menopause. Finally, in this analysis, men were prone to higher acid diets, including higher alcohol consumption.
It is important to pay attention to several restrictions on this study. First, this study cannot determine the causal link. In other words, it cannot conclude that more acidic foods, including red and processed meat, cause cancer. This can only offer a strong connection between them. There may also be other factors such as genetics or smoking and high alcohol consumption at work, although they have been adjusted in the analysis.
Researchers also note that they could not take into account additional use as a misleading person, as there was not enough information (some supplements could increase or reduce acid load). Finally, they note that the population of the subjects was relatively small, which could reduce statistical analysis power.
Related: https://www.eatingwell.com/search?q=red+meat
How does it apply to real life?
Probably you have seen ads of alkaline water, thanks to companies jumping according to the idea that we can control the acid base balance in our body. And while this study would definitely go down in this direction, there is so much we don’t know yet.
Although our bodies are designed to work constantly to maintain internal stability, is it possible that they can overload acid overload from certain foods that seize the body’s biological systems? There is evidence that shows “yes”, but do not go into expensive water in bottles yet.
These researchers offer a simpler exchange – fruits and vegetables that have been given and processed meat, which are usually more alkaline. Exceptions include citrus fruits and tomatoes with a pH scale of 2 and 4. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them. Citrus fruits and tomatoes offer many nutrition and health benefits, including immune assistance and antioxidants that soothe inflammation. Citrus fruits are associated with even lower colon cancer, which causes the question whether it is actually an acid load or other about red and processed meat, which can increase the risk of cancer because citrus fruits are more acidic.
The key is to eat a variety of foods, including various types of plants – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, healthy grains and legumes. This ensures that you not only get the nutrients you need for your body, but also secrete the pH level among the plants you eat.
Quickly evaluate your eating model. Do you include a lot of red and recycled meat? And what about foods and drinks with high levels of added sugar? Where can you start to spin more plants?
Eating habits, like other habits, are our brain paths. These roads were falsified somewhere in your past and became automatic. To start new habits, you need to choose targeted, thoughtful solutions, otherwise your brain will automatically choose the least resistance path.
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Changes in habit are easier for people if they start small. Choose an area that is likely to succeed so that you can rely on that success over time. For example, could you change one of your daily gardens or energy drinks for flavored water (so you still get bubbles)? If you usually have that drink for the mid -afternoon energy increase, could you instead have an energy snack, such as a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit to do the same thing? Or sometimes we just need to change our physiology to increase energy, in which case you can relax from your desk and walk around your house or office space or office rooms quickly.
These researchers also mention the Mediterranean diet as an eating model with high fruits and vegetable consumption and low to moderate meat. For this reason, the Mediterranean diet is associated with high adiponectin, a compound known for its protective role from cancer.
If you are ready to dive and try to change the overall eating model, we have many Mediterranean diet dishes and recipes to choose from. We suggest you start with your 7 -day Mediterranean diet eating plan for beginners or 30 days for the Mediterranean diet eating plan for beginners. We also have plans for Mediterranean diet dishes based on specific needs, whether you are looking for more energy, less inflammation, heart or healthy heart or healthy plan is something for everyone.
Related: Top 8 for heart -healthy Mediterranean diet foods, according to the nutritionist
The essence
This study shows that eating very acidic foods regularly, including red and processed meat, can increase the risk of cancer. These foods were also associated with a higher frequency of dementia, diabetes and heart disease, so you make your body at many levels by limiting or avoiding them. Start changing these foods with more plants, including vegetable proteins such as legumes, non -brewed grains, nuts and seeds to help reduce inflammation and overall risk of your disease.
Read the original article about Eatingwell