Limit/eliminate heat-generated toxins (video)

Stig talks about heat toxins

When food is heated, substances are formed that contribute toward increased inflammation in the body. These substances are called AGEs and ALEs.

Subtitles are available in English and Swedish – Click on the cog symbol to change the subtitle language.

There are a lot of negative effects from heating up food. Heating food generally reduces the amount of benefits found in the raw ingredients, such as antioxidants and enzymes. Heating food above 80°C triggers processes that form new, often unhealthy, substances. The higher temperature the food is exposed to, the more these processes increase. One such common process is called glycation, which means that a protein attaches to a sugar. Heating can also cause a protein to attach to a fat, a process called lipoxidation. The products formed are called advanced glycation products (AGE) and advanced lipoxidation products (ALE).

Stig sometimes calls eating lots of AGEs and ALEs ‘smoking with your stomach’ because of the effect it has on your health. Both AGEs and ALEs contribute toward increased inflammation in the body, which in turn affects the onset of chronic diseases. Several hundred different types of AGEs and ALEs have been identified so far, including acrylamide. The synthesis of acrylamide starts when temperatures exceed 120–130°C, meaning you’ll find acrylamide in toast and chips, among other things.

Stig recommends first trying to refrain from heating up food so you can avoid AGEs and ALEs and take advantage of the antioxidants, enzymes and fibre. If you still want to heat up your food, Stig advocates boiling or steaming instead of frying or grilling, and not heating food above 120-130°C.

Read more about heating food in Stig’s column: Smoking with your stomach

Read all of Stig’s commandments here: Stig Bengmark’s 12 Commandments for optimal health

Watch the next video here: Eliminate gluten from your diet