(Protein) If meat is too much for you… Add this to your rice

It's widely known that protein intake is important for cancer patients. However, some people avoid meat due to vague beliefs that meat is bad for the body or changes in appetite caused by cancer treatment. Today, I'll explain how cancer patients can consume protein in a healthy way.

 

Protein deficiency increases the risk of skinny fat

 

Due to negative perceptions about meat, many people avoid it, almost to the point of becoming vegetarians. This tendency becomes more pronounced as people age and their appetites decline. Cancer patients, who consume little protein and exercise infrequently, are more likely to become "skinny fat."

 

Skinny fat refers to a condition where a person has a normal body mass index (BMI), calculated based on weight and height, but has a high body fat percentage and concentrated fat in the abdomen. This condition is extremely detrimental to health. Visceral fat, located between the organs, reduces the secretion of beneficial nutrients, potentially leading to metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia. A study by Severance Hospital also found that increased visceral fat increases the risk of colon cancer.

Nutrients in soybeans can suppress cancer

 

Protein intake is essential for cancer patients to overcome cancer. If you're hesitant to eat meat due to concerns about fat, try boiling lean cuts like pork tenderloin and leg, beef shank, or chicken breast. Boiling meat further reduces the fat content.

 

If you're still hesitant about eating meat, be sure to include soybeans. Known as "meat from the field," soybeans are 40% protein. They're also rich in nutrients like calcium, iron, and magnesium, making them effective in helping cancer patients recover and relieve fatigue. Genistein and daidzein, both found in soybeans, are known to inhibit cancer cell growth and prevent metastasis. However, soybean extracts are so concentrated in nutrients that it's difficult to know what effect they might have on cancer patients. Therefore, it's safer to consume soybeans in their natural form.

 

The black band is made of beans

 

Among soybeans, black soybeans like seoritae and seomoktae are particularly beneficial. These black beans are rich in anthocyanin pigments. Furthermore, glycitein, a type of isoflavone, is found only in the skins of black soybeans, not in other beans. The recommended daily intake of isoflavones for cancer prevention is approximately 25 mg. This amount is equivalent to about 90 grams of black beans.

 

This can be achieved by eating two servings of kongjaban (soybean rice), two blocks of tofu, or three bowls of kongbap (rice with beans) a day. When making kongbap, it's a good idea to add the soaking water to the rice. The white foam that forms when soaking beans is saponin, which acts as an antioxidant and prevents cell membrane rupture.

 

When digestion is difficult, bean water is recommended.

 

For those with digestive issues, boiling and grinding soybeans and drinking the resulting soybean water is another option. Soybean water is easily digested and absorbed, making it suitable for those with weak digestive systems. Boiling soybeans increases their protein content. According to research by the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, and the Department of Agricultural and Food Resources, boiled black beans contained 6-7% more protein than uncooked beans.

Eat braised fish 1-2 times a week

 

If you're feeling tired from eating only beans, try fish. Fish is a good source of protein for cancer patients. Commonly consumed fish like mackerel, croaker, and tuna contain about 20g of protein per 100g, a level similar to that of pork or beef. A study by the National Cancer Center found that people who ate a piece of fish (50g) once or twice a week had a 77% lower risk of breast cancer than those who didn't. Eat fish steamed or boiled. Frying or grilling can produce carcinogens similar to those produced when cooking meat.

 

Rather than abstaining from meat outright, cancer patients benefit more from moderate consumption. If meat consumption is a concern, be sure to consume protein, even if it's through beans or fish! Combining this with regular strength training will be a great way to maintain muscle mass.