As an indispensable snack food, melon seeds are naturally one of the first choices for many people to travel in snack bags. However, in our daily life, when we eat melon seeds or peanuts, we will encounter bitter seeds. At this time, do you swallow the bitter fruit or spit it out? Is bitter seed poisonous? How to choose melon seeds?
I saw on the internet that bitter gourd seeds are toxic and carcinogenic: "If you eat bitter gourd seeds, please spit them out immediately and rinse your mouth with clear water!" Because this kind of melon seeds may cause liver cancer! Because once melon seeds are moldy, they may contain aflatoxin, which is one of the strongest chemical carcinogens found at present! The toxicity is 68 times that of arsenic, and frequent intake may increase the risk of liver cancer! "
This news really shocked many people: "The favorite melon seeds are poisoned if they don't agree with each other?" So is bitter gourd seed really so poisonous? In fact, this news is not out of nothing, it can be said that it is basically true, but it does not mean that eating a few bitter gourd seeds will cause cancer.
(Image from the Internet)
What is aflatoxin?
As early as 1993, aflatoxin was classified as a 1 carcinogen by the Cancer Institute of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a highly toxic substance. The harmfulness of aflatoxin lies in its destructive effect on human and animal liver tissues, which can lead to liver cancer and even death in severe cases.
What are the common sources of aflatoxin?
Aflatoxin is often produced by several other molds in moldy grains, such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which are the metabolites of these molds, such as corn, beans and peanuts, and sunflower seeds are similar. The spores (seeds) of mold are widely distributed in soil and air. When the humidity is high, mold is particularly easy to breed on grain, grains and nuts, producing toxins.
What are the hazards of aflatoxin?
Aflatoxin B 1 is the main pollutant in food, and its toxicity is generally considered to have three main clinical characteristics; Acute poisoning, chronic poisoning and carcinogenicity:
acute poisoning
Aflatoxin is a highly toxic substance. One-time intake of large doses of aflatoxin can lead to acute poisoning and acute liver injury, such as acute hepatitis, hemorrhagic necrosis, fatty degeneration of liver cells and bile duct hyperplasia.
chronic poisoning
Long-term intake of small doses of aflatoxin will cause chronic poisoning, manifested as chronic liver injury, such as liver parenchymal cell degeneration, cirrhosis and so on. There are a series of symptoms such as animal growth retardation, weight loss, female infertility or litter size reduction.
carcinogenicity
Aflatoxin is the most carcinogenic chemical known at present, with a wide range of carcinogenicity and strong carcinogenicity, which can induce many cancers such as liver cancer, stomach cancer, kidney cancer and rectal cancer.
(Image from the Internet)
Bitter seeds are not necessarily poisonous.
The bitter taste of melon seeds is related to its deterioration and mildew. If the weather is warm and humid, crops are prone to mildew and deterioration, and if they are infected with Aspergillus flavus, they will produce carcinogenic aflatoxin. It can be seen that bitter gourd seeds do contain aflatoxin, but not every bitter gourd seed is contaminated by aflatoxin. Momordica charantia seeds may also be fried or eaten by insects. Melon seeds contain 40% ~ 50% fat, and long-term oxidation will produce bitterness. Eat bitter seeds occasionally, rinse your mouth after spitting, and don't be too nervous.
Pay attention to the storage of melon seeds
To avoid exposure to aflatoxin, it is necessary to avoid moldy food. Especially when the weather is wet, we should pay attention to storing melon seeds in a dry and ventilated place. In addition, if some food storage places are not sanitary and clean enough, or Aspergillus flavus already exists, food will be polluted if it is put in.
(Image from the Internet)
Don't eat too many good melon seeds.
Here, I still can't help but remind everyone that melon seeds are rich in oil, so don't eat too much when they are delicious. Dietary Guide for China Residents recommends that you can consume 50-70g nuts per week, which is equivalent to 20-25g sunflower seeds with shells (about one and a half handfuls), or 15-20g peanuts, or 2-3 walnuts per day. In addition, eating plain nuts is the first choice, because more salt, sugar or oil are usually brought in during processing.
Tip: How to choose melon seeds?
1. Look at the color: melon seeds are the best essential color, and colorful colors may be the result of chemical pigments.
2. Look at the epidermis: melon seeds should have a complete epidermis. If the epidermis is damaged, it may be damp and moldy. Don't choose.
3. Rub your hands: Some melon seeds look shiny. Rub them with your hands. If the hand turns black, it may be painted.
4. Smell it: it smells exciting and moldy, and give up decisively.
5. Look at the size: melon seeds with even and full size are the most pleasing.
6. Have a taste: It is recommended to have a taste before buying. Don't buy it if it is bitter or astringent.
7. It is best to buy bagged melon seeds: Compared with bulk melon seeds, it is recommended to choose bagged melon seeds produced by regular manufacturers, which is relatively more secure in quality.
Editor: Ji Ali
(Author: Gao Chao, member of China Nutrition Society, Ph.D., Institute of Nutrition and Health, China CDC, original works, please indicate that knowledge is power)
This article is an original work, please contact jiangq@cast.org.cn for business cooperation, and please contact jial@cast.org.cn for submission.