Pteridium aquilinum does contain a substance called "protopterin", which is a 2B carcinogen.

Boil fern for a few minutes after the water boils. This diet is good for health.

Red Net Xiangtan Station March 13 (Xiangtan Evening News reporter Liao) After the sunny spring day and the spring rain, ferns and other wild vegetables all leaned out of the "small head". March 12 coincided with Arbor Day, and Ms. Liu went to Zhaoshan to participate in tree planting activities. Many people can't help picking ferns when they see them among trees.

"bracken seems to cause cancer, don't eat it!" An uncle's kind reminder made everyone alert. Indeed, these days, the article about "bracken causes cancer" has been on fire in the WeChat circle of friends.

"Can you eat it or not?" Ms. Liu looked at a pack of bracken and was a little worried.

In spring, bracken sticks its head out.

12 in the afternoon, the sun is just right. More than 20 volunteers from Xiangtan Environmental Protection Association went to Zhaoshan to plant bayberry. Everyone worked hard and quickly completed the task of planting trees.

"Look, these ferns are really good!" Ms Liu likes eating ferns very much. Whenever she had a chance to go up the mountain, she looked for bracken everywhere and encouraged her colleagues to help her pick it.

Pteridium aquilinum has always been the representative of traditional wild vegetables and the "king of mountain vegetables". Many people even dig bracken in the mountains, thinking that it is green, pollution-free, nutritious and even anti-cancer, and is known as "longevity dish".

However, an uncle at the scene questioned: "Recently, there is a popular saying in WeChat friends circle that both bracken and bracken powder contain carcinogens. I wonder if it is true or not? "

At some point, Uncle also turned out this WeChat: "China, Japan, South Korea and other countries like to eat bracken, and Japan has done the most in-depth research on the carcinogenicity of bracken. It was first discovered that a substance called protopterin in bracken was carcinogenic, which was also discovered by the Japanese. In the 1990 s, an epidemiological study was done, showing that eating bracken in large quantities in childhood will also increase the risk of gastric cancer in adulthood. "

Old Chinese doctor: It's best to cook before eating.

For the statement that bracken causes cancer, we found Luo Yulan, an old Chinese medicine doctor in Kangmei Hospital. Dr. Luo told us that bracken contains a lot of cellulose, which has a certain effect on promoting gastrointestinal motility and can also be eaten.

However, bracken does contain a substance called protopterin. At present, the World Cancer Organization has rated it as a class 2B carcinogen, and protopterin does show carcinogenicity in animal experiments.

However, Dr. Luo reminded everyone that there is no need to talk about the discoloration of "fern", because the bracken can't be eaten directly, and everyone will treat it with boiling water, which will reduce the content of the original fern glycoside. "It is best to cook bracken for a few minutes after the water is boiled. Eating it has little effect on health, but eat less bracken."