How Acrylamide Affects Your Diet And How To Avoid It

When food is cooked at a very high temperature, a toxic substance known as acrylamide appears. Here we explain how it affects the body and how you can avoid it.

We all love fried, baked, grilled, or toasted foods. However, when food is subjected to high temperatures, acrylamide may appear.

This is a toxic substance formed when foods containing simple carbohydrates and amino acid asparagine is cooked at high temperatures of 121 ° C.

L to European Food Safety Agency said that acrylamide in foods is potentially carcinogenic, genotoxic, neurotoxic and cytotoxic. That is, it can damage the genetic material of cells and neurons. Also, the World Health Organization (WHO) considered acrylamide as a probable carcinogen.

Where is acrylamide found?

Normally, acrylamide can be found in processed foods that have already been previously cooked through the oven, with oil or barbecue. For example, the famous French fries are one of the foods most likely to contain this substance. This is because they are previously cooked at high temperatures and later fried.

It is believed that the darker the food we cook with high heat, the worse the exposure to this compound, which is considered potentially dangerous, according to a study published in Cancer Science.

However, small amounts of acrylamide are not as bad as you might think. In fact, they are used in water treatment. However, it must be strictly regulated to avoid contamination.

Although this seems like a problem, not all food providers work against this reality. So fighting this scourge only depends on who wants a healthier life.

It is not that difficult to change eating habits. In that sense, we recommend that you gradually adjust your diet in the best way to avoid potential dangers. To do this, you can consult with a nutritionist.

How to avoid the consumption of acrylamide?

There are several ways to minimize the consumption of this substance that is found in food exposed to high temperatures:

• People who eat foods high in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are able to withstand exposure to acrylamide. However, it is indicated, in the same way, to moderate the consumption of products that contain the named compound.
• Avoid overcooking food. That is to say, do not overcook potatoes, breads, meats or other foods, since when you bring them to a term of “burned” they will be highly loaded with acrylamide.

• Moderate cigarette smoking. There is a dose of this substance that, together with the components of tobacco and caffeine, generate worse results in the body.
• Try to eat in a traditional way. Follow a diet that does not require so many frying and contains more steamed or roasted foods, in this way the consumption of acrylamide is controlled.
• Reduce cooking time. Cook for shorter periods and less hot temperatures. This will decrease acrylamide levels,
• Avoid toasting the bread too much, as the American Cancer Society has claimed in recent research that the brown crust contains high levels of this substance.

We recommend consuming tea as it is loaded with polyphenols. In the same way red wine, because it has a high load of resveratrol, and garlic that has a strong dose of diallyl trisulfide. All these components are positive for the fight against the mentioned substance.

Remember that the antioxidants in the diet have been shown to be able to fight against the appearance of free radicals and against complex diseases.

Consequences of acrylamide consumption

1. Ovarian and breast cancer

A study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology noted that women who ate a serving of fried snacks per day had twice the risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancer compared to women who did not eat fried foods.

On the other hand, women with higher acrylamide consumption are up to 47% more likely to develop breast cancer.

2. Alzheimer’s disease

According to neurotoxic experts at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, acrylamide is structurally similar to acrolein. It is a substance found in high levels in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Heart problems

Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that acrylamide causes alterations in pathologies related to heart disease.

Reduce acrylamide in the diet

It is worth noting that if you maintain a healthy and balanced diet, with high levels of nutrients, you will not have to worry. Generally, people who contract cancer by ingesting acrylamide have a higher consumption than recommended by specialists on the subject.

That is why it is so important to maintain a balanced diet. If you have doubts and are concerned about your health, professional consultation will always be the best option.