Can eating white meat prevent liver cancer? What should we pay attention to in preventing liver cancer?

Recently, some media reported that research has found that eating more "white meat" such as chicken and fish can reduce the risk of primary hepatocellular carcinoma by 22%-31%, so it is recommended that citizens eat more white meat and less red meat in their daily diet. But is the research really reliable? Experts said that this statement is too exaggerated. The only thing that is clear in the diet that induces liver cancer is aflatoxin. Other foods have not been effectively proven to cause cancer or prevent cancer. In addition, as for the anti-cancer effect of white meat, in fact, red meat contains a substance called conjugated linoleic acid, which is an anti-cancer substance.

What is red meat? What is white meat?

At present, red meat in the usual sense refers to livestock meat, such as pork, beef, lamb and other livestock meat, while white meat generally refers to poultry (such as chicken, duck, goose), fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, etc.) or bivalves (oysters, clams), etc.

The main difference between the two is whether their muscle tissues are more slow-twitch fibers or more fast-twitch fibers. Red meat has more slow-twitch fibers, while white meat has more fast-twitch fibers. From a nutritional point of view, both are healthy. Red meat contains a substance called conjugated linoleic acid, which is an anti-cancer substance.

The cause of liver cancer is not clear, and aflatoxin needs to be prevented in the diet

my country is a country with a high incidence of liver disease, so the incidence of liver cancer is also high. It is understood that 15%-20% of hepatitis patients will develop cirrhosis within 5 years, and 10%-15% of cirrhosis patients will develop liver cancer. Therefore, preventing hepatitis B has become one of the main means to eliminate liver cancer.

In addition to hepatitis B and alcohol, aflatoxin, nitrite, drinking water pollution, parasitic infection and genetic factors can also lead to liver cancer. According to the "Survey on High-risk Factors for Liver Cancer in Guangzhou Community Population", hepatitis virus, aflatoxin pollution, alcoholism, drinking water pollution and liver fluke infection are the five major high-risk factors for liver cancer.

Daily precautions for the general population to prevent liver cancer:

1. Regular life, daily living, outdoor activities, diet and nutrition, physical exercise;

2. Quit smoking, drinking, and eating bad lifestyles or habits such as pickled meat and grilled meat, and avoid eating moldy food;

3. Pay attention to rest to avoid excessive mental or physical labor that reduces the body's resistance, causes liver damage, and induces cancer;

4. Maintain an optimistic mental state and try to avoid or reduce various stimulating activities that cause emotional fluctuations;

5. Do a good job in preventing viral hepatitis such as hepatitis B and C to effectively avoid viral hepatitis infection.