Why You Should Wash Ham in Water Before Eating It

For health reasons, it's best to avoid excessive consumption of processed and red meat. Processed meat, as the name suggests, refers to meats that have undergone a process, such as sausages and ham. Red meat refers to meats that are reddish in color when uncooked, such as pork and beef. While these foods are popular, numerous studies have proven that they can have negative effects on the heart, liver, and other systems throughout the body. Let's explore the effects of processed and red meat on the body.

 

◇Eating just 50g increases the risk of heart disease by 18%. Research has shown that processed meat and red meat significantly increase the risk of heart disease. A research team at Oxford University in the UK analyzed 13 studies and tracked 1.43 million subjects for 6 to 30 years to determine the health effects of their consumption of processed and red meat.

As a result, the risk of coronary artery disease (CAHD) increased by 18% when consuming just 50g of processed meats such as bacon, ham, and sausages per day compared to consuming the same amount of other meats. Consumption of unprocessed red meats such as pork, beef, and lamb increased the risk by 9%. Conversely, poultry did not increase the risk. The research team attributed this to the high saturated fat content in red meat and the high salt content in processed meat.

 

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition caused by cholesterol buildup in the arteries. It can block blood flow and raise blood pressure, posing a life-threatening risk. Each year, up to 9 million people worldwide die from CAD. Consuming saturated fat, abundant in red meat, increases cholesterol levels, and consuming salt, abundant in processed meat, can increase blood pressure, exacerbating CAD.

 

 

 

◇Wash processed meat once with water, and steam or boil red meat.

 

Even when eating processed meat, always blanch it in water or wash it before eating. Food additives are sensitive to high temperatures. Because the blanching water may still contain additives, use fresh water when cooking. Sodium saccharin, coloring agents, and acidity regulators can be washed away to some extent even with tap water. It's also best to remove the oil before eating, as most food additives, such as sodium nitrite, are dissolved in the oil.

 

Side dishes also impact health. When eating processed meat, it's best to pair it with vegetables rather than carbohydrates. A study by researchers at the University of Bordeaux in France found that people who eat processed meat with complex carbohydrates like potatoes and grains have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who pair it with fruits, vegetables, seafood, and poultry.

 

When preparing red meat, it's best to choose steaming or boiling rather than grilling or frying. This is because exposure to high cooking temperatures increases the production of carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines.

 

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For ham or sausage, just boil it in hot water.

 

When eating processed meat, you should eat it with vegetables rather than carbohydrates.

 

It's good not to forget