5 Healthy Things That Can Actually Be Deadly

Grilled Food

Many will opt for a grilled or blackened meat or vegetable as a healthier option to fried foods, but this type of food may be less-healthy than previously known. Barbecuing creates three different bi-products that can be dangerous to humans. Heterocyclic amines (known as HCAs) are a carcinogen created from combining meat and high heat to create the blackened, charred look and this type of carcinogen has been linked to cancer. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are damaging compounds that are produced within the body when smoke is inhaled, and these can be very damaging to the lungs. Finally, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are another toxic compound that can build up within the body due to a reaction from the chemicals produced from barbecue charcoal and cooked fat. Although flame-grilled, blackened meat and vegetables are delicious, it should be known by all who consume it that it can also be potentially hazardous to health. Try using marinades, pre-cooking meat before putting it on the barbecue, and reducing fat drippings onto the charcoal by using aluminum foil to ensure minimized exposure to potential harm.

Brown Rice

A Consumer Reports investigation found that regular rice eaters had up to 44% more arsenic within their body that people who did not eat rice. Brown rice was found to have the most content of this deadly toxin which is surprising for most because brown rice is touted as the healthier option. According to various health professionals, arsenic can cause high blood pressure, circulatory diseases, and even heart attacks. Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water has even led to a new ailment called “Blackfoot disease” in Taiwan. Other symptoms of long-term exposure to arsenic include an increased likelihood of bladder, lung, and skin cancer as well as negatively changing the way cells communicate within the body. Quinoa is recommended as a healthy and tasty substitute for rice.