What are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)? What has grilled meat to do with PAHs? What are the relationship between PAHs and mustard seeds?

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemical compounds which are widespread organic pollutants. Some of these are carcinogens and are formed by incomplete burning of wood, coal, diesel, fat and tobacco. Tar has also PAHs

PAHs are known for their carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic properties. These are benz(a)anthracene, benz(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluroanthene, benzo(j)fluoranthene, benza(k)fluoranthene, benzo(ghi)perylene, coronene, ovalene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, and dibenz(a,h)anthracene.

The sources for the exposure include:

• Workplace exposure in industries where things are burned
• Cigarette smoke, wood smoke, automobile exhaust and smoke from agriculture wastes
• Air, water, food, traffic exhaust and soil near hazardous waste depots
• Eating grilled (fried over burning or glowing coal) meat products and processed or pickled foods
• Contaminated cow milk, drinking water and mother’s milk

The cancers caused by PAHs include lung cancer, skin cancer and stomach cancer.

There are ways to avoid the formation of PAHs and they include:

• Avoid exposure to tobacco smoke, active or passive
• Avoid open burning of tyres, garbage, burning of agricultural wastes, leaves, garden wastes and building materials
• Petrol, diesel, heating oil and motor oil should be disposed properly to prevent the water and soil contamination
• Eat less smoked fish
• Eat less grilled meat. Grilling is a form of cooking where the heat is applied from below with glowing coal. The meat or sausage is placed on a grill which is an open wire grid. The falling hot fat burns in the hot coal and this process produces PAHs. Eat with grilled meat mustard paste or gravies which contain lot of ground or in hot oil fried mustard seeds
• Instead of driving your car use the public transportation if it is possible

Whenever Germans enjoy grilling parties in the summer months they eat lot of mustard seeds paste. It is available very hot, hot, mild and even sweet paste. Meat, beef, pork, poultry and sausages are fried normally on glowing coal.

When we cook south Indian food we pour edible oil first, heat it and put the mustard seeds. They burst out and after that you continue your cooking. Here lies the secret. Mustard seeds if eaten raw cannot be broken by our digestion enzymes and are useless. That is why our intelligent forefathers started practising this method. The German way of preparing food is different and their intelligent forefathers found the mustard seeds paste.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are one of the best sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which can reduce LDL cholesterol. They all contain less carbohydrates, but rich in fibre and the only exception is cashew nut. Hence they are good to all including diabetes patients. Nuts and seeds can definitely be a part of a healthy diet when eaten properly.

Eating regularly 4 times nuts per week lowers the risk of the heart disease and it is applicable to women and men. Fried or raw nuts, unsalted are good. Almonds, hazelnuts, ground nuts, pecan nuts, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and mustard seeds are the important seeds. Coconut is also healthy and has the maximum amount of selenium.

Only cashew nut has 32% carbohydrates, ground nuts and walnuts have 12.1% each and almonds have only 9.5%. Walnuts are the only nuts which has omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds have also positive effects on heart. Nuts and seeds as such have very little sodium. Groundnut has 26 essential trace elements like calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, magnesium, etc., and 13 vitamins including Vitamin B group, A, C and E and it is great.

If you are in diet the nuts and seeds are very important because they have all the nutrients what the body needs. You can achieve wonders with 20 or 25 gram nuts or seeds everyday and a good dietician has no problem to include this.

Pumpkin seeds are very useful in the prevention of urinary bladder infections and prostate problems.

If you eat nuts and seeds you must be careful with two things. They are:

1. You must know whether you have allergy with any one of these nuts. Groundnut allergy is well known. If there is allergy you have to avoid this nut completely. But if your Doctor knows that this allergy is coming from a protein but, not from the fats, then you could use the oil from the seed or nut without any problems. This allergy develops before the age of 4 and after that nobody develops this allergy, be careful.
2. 60% of liver damage in our World is from the toxin Aflatoxin B1 which is coming from the mould (fungus) Aspergillus Flavus. 13 Aflatoxins are produced in the nature and the only poisonous is Aflatoxin B1. This grows well and produces Aflatoxins if the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius and around 86% humidity. Keep them dry and if the fungus could be seen the nut or seed should not be eaten. Aflatoxin B1 is heat stable and could not be destroyed. That is why it is very dangerous.