This sentence you have been told since childhood may be destroying your health

Our parents have always emphasized this to us since we were little: " Eat it while it's hot! " So is "Eat it while it's hot" right? What's the truth? Dr. Rong Yamei from the Department of Gastroenterology at Beichen Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University reveals the secrets for you~~

Eating it while it's hot is bad for your health?!

Eat the scalded meat immediately, and drink the hot tea while it is hot! "Eat while it is hot" seems to be a unique habit of the Chinese. The temperature of the food can also comfort the soul, but eating while it is hot is not healthy! It is no exaggeration to say that eating while it is hot may damage the esophagus and increase the risk of esophageal cancer !

[ Injured esophagus ]

The esophagus is a flexible "tube" about 25 cm long. The mucosal epithelial cells on the inner wall of this tube are relatively fragile and very sensitive to temperature . They will be injured if the temperature exceeds 54°C. A bowl of hot soup over 80°C can burn and kill them in a few seconds, while new cells will proliferate rapidly to maintain balance. However, if hot food keeps coming in, the esophageal mucosa will be repeatedly damaged, proliferate and necrotize, and the new cells may produce "heteromorphic" cells. These "bad cells" will grow recklessly and eventually cause esophageal cancer !

The terrible esophageal cancer

As early as 2016, hot drinks above 65°C were listed as " Class 2A carcinogens " by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); in recent years, studies have found that the unsafe temperature for esophageal cancer may be lower than 65°C - only 54°C is enough to activate the carcinogenic pathway (TRPV2 channel) of mucosal epithelial cells, ultimately inducing esophageal cancer.

China is a severely affected area by esophageal cancer . In 2020, the number of new cases of esophageal cancer in China was about 320,000, accounting for 54% of the global total (about 600,000), ranking sixth among all tumors; the number of deaths was about 300,000, accounting for 55% of the global total (about 540,000), ranking fourth among all tumors.

Preventing esophageal cancer

You can start with the little things around you

01 Do not eat hot food or drink hot water, chew food slowly, and eat regularly.

02Quit smoking, drink a little or no alcohol

03 Eat less pickled food and more fresh fruits and vegetables; eat less grilled and smoked food; do not eat moldy food

04 Regular screening is recommended for those at high risk of esophageal cancer. Routine endoscopic examination is recommended every 2 years.

Only in this way can we enjoy delicious food while protecting the health of our esophagus.