Sunday, April 21, 2024
A study found that chemicals produced when eating junk food raised cancer risk
See below for a less sensationalist report of the research
Bah! Humbug! The researchers have NO data on junk food consumption. Their apparent link to food seems to be that levels of harm are linked to high glucose intake in some people. But glucose is not specific to junk food. Common table sugar is a compound of glucose and fructose. So if the results mean anything they mean that eating a lot of sweet things of any kind is bad for you if you have certain rare genetic predispositons. That is the sum total of what they apparently show. It tells you NOTHING about junk foods, whatever they may be. If you take it all seriously, people with certain rare genetics should avoid putting sugar in their coffee! Big problem!
Scientists believe they have uncovered a missing link between how eating junk food increases the risk of cancer.
A study in Singapore looked at the effect of methylglyoxal, a compound released when the body breaks down sugary and fatty foods, on a gene that helps fight off tumors.
In a first, the academics found that methylglyoxal was able to temporarily shut off the BRCA2 gene's ability to protect against cancer forming and growing.
Doctors have known for decades that eating junk food is linked to a much higher risk of cancer, even if the person is not obese, but the exact mechanism is still being understood.
It could, at least in part, explain why cancers among young, ostensibly healthy Americans are becoming so prevalent, particularly tumors in the colon.
The team also noted that the study contradicts a longstanding theory called the knudson's 'two-hit' paradigm, which said that genes like BRCA2 must be completely inactive in the body to raise cancer risk.
These genes are meant to help protect the body against cancer, though patients who inherit faulty copies from their parents have been shown to have an increased risk of certain cancers, such as breast and pancreatic.
Dr Ashok Venkitaraman, study author and director of the National University of Singapore's Centre for Cancer Research, told Medical News Today: '[M]ethylglyoxal triggers the destruction of BRCA2 protein, reducing its levels in cells.'
'This effect is temporary, but can last long enough to inhibit the tumor-preventing function of BRCA2.'
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He noted that repeated exposure, such as through eating processed foods and red meat, among others, would increase the amount of damage to genes like BRCA2.'
The team looked at the effect of methylglyoxal on cells from people who had inherited a faulty copy of BRCA2 and were therefore more likely to develop cancer.
They found that methylglyoxal exposure disabled tumor suppression.
'It is well documented that some individuals are at a high risk of developing breast, ovarian, pancreatic or other cancers because they inherit a faulty copy of the cancer-preventing gene — BRCA2 — from their parents,' Dr Venkitaraman said.
'Our recent findings show that cells from such individuals are particularly sensitive to the effects of methylglyoxal, which is a chemical produced when our cells break down glucose to create energy.
'We find that methylglyoxal inhibits the tumor-preventing function of BRCA2, eventually causing faults in our DNA that are early warning signs of cancer development.'
Additionally, Dr Venkitaraman noted that high levels of methylglyoxal are common in people with diabetes and prediabetes.
'Our latest findings show that methylglyoxal can temporarily inactivate such cancer-preventing genes, suggesting that repeated episodes of poor diet or uncontrolled diabetes can "add up" over time to increase cancer risk,' he said.
However, the team cautioned that since the study was carried out in cells rather than people, more research is needed on the topic.
The research adds to a long list of studies suggesting that diet could have an impact on cancer risk, particularly colorectal cancer.
Research from the Cleveland Clinic, for example, found that people under 50 who ate diets rich in red meat and sugar had lower levels of the compound citrate, which is created when the body converts food into energy and has been shown to inhibit tumor growth.
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Sunday, April 14, 2024
EU Proposals Could Make Swedish Jam Illegal After More Than a Century on the Market
A new proposal from the European Commission aims to make breakfast foods healthier for Europeans by raising the minimum berry content requirements in jam. The proposed regulations, discussed on April 10 and 11, seek to increase the minimum berry content in jams from 35 to 45 grams per hundred grams of product.
The proposal, which is likely to pass, poses significant implications for the Swedish jam industry, potentially altering over a century of culinary tradition.
Björnekulla, a renowned producer with popular offerings like raspberry jam, queen jam, and strawberry jam, finds itself at a crossroads due to these changes, as all the products would fall below the new permitted limit if the law is enacted.
Björnekulla would then face two options: either change their classic recipes or stop labeling their products as jam.
Pär Berglund, CEO of Björnekulla, expressed concerns about potential impacts on taste and pricing.
"More berries and less sugar tend to make the jam more sour. It's not just about compliance; it's about consumer preference," Berglund explained to Sydsvenskan.
Peter Kullgren, Minister of Rural Affairs, clarified that the intention behind the regulation is not to ban existing products but to standardize what qualifies as jam across Europe.
"This ensures that when you buy jam, whether in Sweden or Spain, you're getting the same quality and content," Kullgren stated.
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