Food to Avoid

When was the last time that you had a hunger for Fish and Chips, Barbeque Chicken Wings, or even a Ham and Bacon sandwich? And do you also know that these foods are all hazardous to the human health?



In JNP, we have a “Wellness Department” formed by our leader, made up of advisers who are dedicated to organizing sports event and sharing health tips. They do this out of care and concern for our fellow colleagues; spending their personal time researching on health information and wellness tips for the good of not only our advisers, but also our clients.


In the most recent sharing, we learnt that there are 3 kinds of food that we should avoid. They are:
• Deep Fried Foods,
• Barbeque Foods, and
• Food preserved with nitrates.


The occasional deep fried meal never fills to satisfy our craving for sinful food. However, while cooking the food in hot oil, a series of harmful chemicals are released. Cancer causing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), and carcinogenic Acrylamide are released during the cooking process. Furthermore, the harm is not only limited to the consumer of deep-fried food. In 2006, Dr Rajasekhar Balasubramanian from the National University of Singapore published on the Journal of Environmental Monitoring, that the kitchen with the highest occurrences of deep frying also has a high concentration of PAH in the kitchen air.


This translates to a poor working environment for our loved ones who are preparing the meals for us. In contrast, a kitchen that mainly boils and simmers their food has a lower concentration of PAH in the kitchen air. Fats from the deep frying also has a high calorie content, which can increase the risk of gaining weight and also increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.


Barbequing of foods also exposes the food to high temperature. PAHs are also released during this grilling process. In addition, a 2-hour barbecue can also release the same level of toxic dioxins as up to 220,000 cigarettes.


The last food to avoid, are processed meats that contain Nitrates. These range from ham, sausages, bacons, to even luncheon meat. Nitrate is a preservative and is used to keep the color of processed meat from changing over time. Nitrate is harmless, but it can convert to nitrite, which can form nitrosamines, a powerful cancer-causing chemical, in your body. The FDA believes that small amounts do not pose a risk, but advises that pregnant women and infants do not consume foods containing this additive. In fact, the USDA does not allow foods marketed to babies, infants and toddlers to contain nitrates or nitrites. This is because the consumption of nitrates can lead to methemoglobinemia in babies, children, and even some adults.


In JNP we have always emphasized on the need to maintain our focus on Health, Relationship and Wealth. None of this tripartite pillar can exist without the other. Since a calculated selection of food can help us in maintaining our good health, let’s eat our way towards a healthier future.


Quoted from See, S W, S Karthikeyan, and R Balasubramanian, "Health risk assessment of occupational exposure to particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with Chinese, Malay, and Indian cooking". Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 8 (2006): 369-376.