Some restaurants use aluminum foil or aluminum cookware when grilling samgyeopsal, but does this have any impact on our health?
To conclude, while there is still some debate about the harmfulness of aluminum foil, it is generally believed that it does not have a significant impact on the human body if certain precautions are taken.
For healthy individuals, aluminum is excreted through urine. However, if consumed over a long period, it can accumulate in the body, and the effects of this accumulation are not yet clearly understood. Some studies suggest a link to Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer, but these are still considered potential factors rather than direct causes.
Aluminum is a common metal found in trace amounts in food. However, when food is heated at high temperatures in aluminum foil, the amount of aluminum that seeps into the food increases. Additionally, wrapping acidic or alkaline foods in aluminum foil can cause a significant increase in the aluminum content of the food. Foods with high acidity, such as lemons, pickles, fermented vegetables, apples, and kimchi, should not be stored in aluminum foil or pots.
Due to the numerous inquiries related to this, the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety released a video on their official YouTube channel addressing whether it is safe to grill samgyeopsal on aluminum foil.
The Ministry stated that rumors about additives and environmental hormones being detected are false and that most aluminum ingested is excreted from the body. However, they also acknowledged that aluminum is weak against acids and salts and advised against using it with highly acidic foods.
In response to the question of which side of the aluminum foil should be used, the video stated that either side can be used.
Therefore, caution is needed when using aluminum cookware.
It is advisable not to store highly acidic foods like vinegar or tomato sauce, or highly salty foods like salted fish, in aluminum containers for extended periods. Additionally, when cooking with aluminum foil, care should be taken not to heat the food above 200°C.
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