GĐXH - The man with stomach cancer had a habit of eating very salty food. His favorite dish, which appeared on his dinner table every day, was pickled vegetables.
Mr. Tran, 63 years old (from China), burst into tears upon receiving the news that he had terminal stomach cancer . He was deeply shocked because before going to the hospital for examination, he thought he only had a sore throat due to the cold weather.
As a teacher, he always assumed that his throat discomfort was related to the nature of his profession, which required a lot of speaking. Recently, these pains became more severe, accompanied by difficulty swallowing and significant weight loss, so he went to the hospital for examination.
At the hospital, after examination and tests, the doctors concluded that he had stage 4 stomach cancer . This means it's the final stage, with the tumor metastasizing to many places and a poor prognosis.
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Upon receiving the news, Mr. Tran was deeply shocked. At first, he absolutely refused to believe it, thinking the hospital had misdiagnosed him. But after investigating his medical history, it was learned that Mr. Tran had a habit of eating very salty food. In addition, his favorite dish that appeared on his dinner table every day was pickled vegetables. The doctor suggested that this long-term eating habit could be the root cause of his stomach cancer.
Why does eating a lot of pickled and fermented foods increase the risk of stomach cancer?
According to nutrition experts, pickled vegetables, especially quick-pickled ones, contain high levels of nitrates and salt, both of which are harmful to the stomach.
Vegetables used for pickling are grown using urea fertilizer, so they still contain a significant amount of nitrate residue. During the pickling process, microorganisms convert the nitrate in the vegetables into nitrite.
The nitrite content is particularly high in the first few days, then decreases and disappears completely once the pickles have turned sour and yellow. Therefore, quick-pickled cucumbers contain a lot of nitrite. When we eat them, the acid in our stomachs allows the nitrite to react with amino acids from other foods like meat and fish to form nitrosamine compounds.
Consuming foods processed through fermentation, such as alcohol, beer, salted fish, pickled vegetables, and fish sauce, which contain high levels of nitrosamines, is linked to an increased risk of cancer, including nasopharyngeal cancer and stomach cancer. Notably, experts warn that quick-pickled vegetables pose a higher risk than traditionally fermented pickled vegetables.
In stomach cancer, Helicobacter pylori (HP) bacteria are the main risk factor, as this type of bacteria causes chronic inflammation in the stomach and forms ulcers, leading to cancerous transformation.
Salt promotes the activity of H. pylori bacteria. Salt causes H. pylori to grow faster and become more active, thus increasing the risk of stomach cancer. Salt also acts as an inflammatory agent on the stomach lining, making it more susceptible to other carcinogenic factors.
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4 principles for eating pickled vegetables safely without worrying about cancer.
In an interview with VNN, Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Thinh, former lecturer at the Institute of Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, stated the following principles to keep in mind when eating pickled vegetables:
Firstly , absolutely do not eat freshly pickled vegetables. During the pickling process, nitrates are converted into nitrites. Nitrates are residual substances in vegetables due to urea fertilization or absorption from soil with high nitrate levels. In the first few days after pickling (about 2-3 days), the nitrite content increases due to microbial denitrification, then gradually decreases and disappears completely when the pickles turn sour and yellow. Nitrites entering the body react with secondary amines to form nitrosamine compounds, which are potentially carcinogenic.
Secondly , avoid eating pickled vegetables like cabbage and eggplant that have developed white, yellow, or black mold, as these may contain Aspergillus flavus, a fungus that produces aflatoxin, a carcinogen that can cause liver cancer. It's best to avoid them altogether.
Thirdly, pickled vegetables like cabbage and eggplant are often heavily salted, making them unsuitable for people with high blood pressure or kidney disease. Those with these conditions should limit their consumption. Furthermore, healthy individuals only consume about 5mg of salt per day, so the optimal amount of pickled vegetables is only 50-100g per day. Pregnant women and young children should also limit their intake of this food group.
Fourth , when pickling vegetables, it's important to choose safe ingredients. The pickling process should use earthenware or porcelain containers; avoid using plastic containers. Using plastic products can lead to the leaching of harmful substances.
Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-63-tuoi-bat-khoc-khi-biet-mac-ung-thu-da-day-giai-doan-cuoi-tu-so-thich-an-mon-an-khoai-khau-172250208094424101.htm
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