Toxic Soup: How the Chemistry of Cooking is Making You Sick

Raw food is what we ate for thousands of years before the invention of fire about 100,000 years ago. Once we discovered the amazing chemistry of cooking we have populated all the earth, even remote inhospitable areas where eating cooked food is necessary for survival. So everything we now know thousands of years later is actually part of a survival paradigm and has nothing to do with what is ultimately best under ideal circumstances, i.e., fresh, live raw food.

You see, all the rules for eating that we have in most cultures today are based on the “survival” paradigm which doesn’t actually apply to a real raw foodist. Things that may be a bit hard to digest when raw are actually not even necessary for a raw food lifestyle, such as cruciferous veggies. Digestive problems some people associate with eating raw food are actually caused by a digestive system that is “WEAKENED” by a lifetime of adaptation to cooked foods. Fortunately, it only takes a compromised digestive system a few months to adapt to a raw diet, and In a rare worst case scenario that may be years for people with serious digestive issues.

Some people consider nutrient absorption a problem with raw foods, since some cooked veggies only release nutrients after cooking. However, since raw food has much more nutrition and no toxins from cooking, you probably won’t need to eat those rare cooked exceptions at all on a raw food diet.

Of course, some foods may be a problem for a digestive system that is already compromised and adapted to cooked foods, but that’s not a problem caused by eating raw food. Over time, your body will get used to raw food and eventually those problems will just fall away. And, it is possible to retrain your digestive system to accept more raw foods without these problems.

The chemistry of cooking our food also results in the biggest nutritional and health problems of all — the numerous and insidious chemical changes to the food molecules caused by heat. This creates the carcinogens, mutagens and free radicals which ultimately are the real causes for most of the health problems in the world, even America, which cooked food eaters unfortunately assume are normal — but which are not. The enzymes in raw foods are mistakenly hyped a lot even by raw foodists, but enzymes are not the real big deal since our digestive system can makes those anyway. The big deal about raw food is the lack of any of the toxins commonly associated with the chemistry of cooking that cause most diseases!

The Chemistry of Cooking is like a High School Experiment.

The chemistry of cooking our food is like doing a chemistry experiment in high school. Due to heat, cooking or preparing food creates new substances. Most of these new substances come from proteins reacting with carbohydrates. Some of these substances cause cancer or brain diseases and impair neurotransmitter function and metabolism.

Many of these new substances are heterocyclic amines (HCA). Many of these HCA are directly or indirectly physically addictive.(1)   Due to the heat of cooking, these HCA originate from the interaction between protein and carbohydrates and / or creatine (in red meat) or nitrate (in vegetables). Some examples :

• tryptophan + form- / acetaldehyde  = 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (pro-mutagenic) (2)
• tryptophan + glycolaldehyde  = 1-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (3)
• tryptophan + sugars (by freezing)  = 1,1′-ethyliden-ditryptofaan (very toxic) (4)
• serotonine + formaldehyde   = 6-hydroxy-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (5)
• serotonine + acetaldehyde  = 6-hydroxy-1-methyl-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (6)
• tyramine + nitrite  = 3-diazotyramine(4-(2-aminoethyl))-6-diazo-2,4-cyclohexadienone (carcin.)(7)
• salt + nitrite + protein / sugar  = 2-chloro-4-methylthiobutanoate (mutagenic) (8)
• glutamate + sugars  = 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido-(1,2-a:3′,2′-dimidazole (carcinogenic) (9)
• glutamate + sugars  = 2-aminodipyrido-(1,2-a:3′,2′-dimidazole (carcinogenic)(9)

When aldehydes react upon cyclic amino acids or -amines (like tryptophan, tryptamine, serotonine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, dopamine, tyramine, aniline), mostly beta-carbolines and isoquinolines originate. When creatinine (from meat) is involved, mostly imidazoquinolines and imidaziquinoxalines originate. (10) (Glutamate and tryptophan are amino acids, tyramine and serotonine are amines, and aldehydes are sugars) .

In What Foods?

Almost all cooked or prepared foods contain:

• 9H-pyrido(3,4-b)indole  = beta-carboline  = tryptophan / tryptamine + aldehydes (11)
• 1-methyl-9H-pyrido(3,4-b)indole  = 1-methyl-beta-carboline  = tryptophan / tryptamine + aldehydes (11)

These substances influence benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, and indirectly lots of other neurotransmitters. (12) If these substances further react upon amines like aniline, they even become mutagenic (23). How much HCA originate depends on how much protein the food contains and on how much the food is heated. (14)   Because red meat contains both lots of protein and creatinine (creating creatine), prepared red meat contains the most HCA, especially when grilled (15). Besides prepared red meat, also prepared fish, soy and poultry contain lots of HCA. (16) Flavor-enhancers and bouillon contain protein-concentrates and therefore contain lots of HCA too. (11) But also prepared foods containing less protein contain HCA, like prepared grains (17) and -vegetables (18), and even foods like beer, soy sauce and canned orange juice. (19) For example:

Meat contains too much creatine (20):

• 2-amino-1-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyfenyl)-imidazo-(4,5-b)pyridine (mutag.)  = creatine + tyrosine + glucose (21)

Soy contains globulins:

• 2-amino-9H-pyrido(2,3-b)indole  (mutagenic) (22)  = soy-globulins + sugars (23)
• 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido(2,3-b)indole (mutagenic) (24)  = soy-globulins + sugars (23)

Prepared fish contains (25):

• 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole (mutagenic)(26)  = tryptophan + acetaldehyde (27)
• 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole (mutagenic)(26) = tryptophane + acetaldehyde (28)

Cooked Vegetables contain nitrite:

• cancerous N-nitroso-compounds = amines + nitrite + sugars
• specific N-nitroso-compound ;
• 4-(2-aminoethyl)-6-diazo-2,4-cyclohexadienone (cancerous) = tyramine + nitrite + sugars (7)

Cooked Cabbages contain thiocyanates ;

• toxic (29) tetrahydro-beta-carboline-derivates = isothiocyanate + tyramine / serotonine etc.

Cooked vegetables contain also flavonoids:

• mutagenic glycosides (30)  = flavonods + heat

Canned orange juice contains free amino acids, which easily combine with aldehydes to create heterocyclic amines.

What Can HCA Do?

1. Act like Neurotransmitters

Some HCA, like beta-carbolines, can directly influence neurotransmitter-receptors, like benzodiazepine receptors. Simply because the body also composes beta-carbolines to function as neurotransmitters. HCA can also occupy receptors of other neurotransmitters, like serotonine- and dopamine receptors. Especially when they are composed of the same amines. Some examples ;

• 3-methoxycarbonyl-beta-carboline acts through different receptors (31) and increases secretion and decomposition of dopamine, like physical stress does. (32) It enhances ‘irrational’ aggressive behaviour (33), and decreases social interaction (34).
• 3-ethoxycarbonyl-beta-carboline, is hypnotic and anaesthetic (35), and inhibits investigative behaviour (36) and social interaction. (37) In dominant types it enhances aggressive behaviour, but inhibits sexual appetite. (38) It increases epinephrine-   (39) and cortisol-level, blood pressure and heart rate (40), and increases secretion and decomposition of dopamine (41), like physical stress does.
• 3-Hydroxymethyl-beta-carboline ; though hypnotic (42), it negatively affects sleep (43).
• 3-N-methylcarboxamide-beta-carboline enhances reckless- (44) and aggressive behaviour (45), and inhibits sexual appetite. (46) It generally inhibits (47), but locally stimulates norepinephrine secretion. (48) It increases glutamate- (49), ACTH- and Substance P-secretion (50), increases blood pressure (51) and though anaesthetic (52), causes physical stress. (53).
• 3-Methylcarbonyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline blocks GABA receptors (54), increases GABA- and glycine-level, decreases glutamate- and aspartate-level (55), increases corticosterone-, epinephrine- and norepinephrine-secretion(56), decreases serotonine-secretion (57) and increases norepinephrine-receptor-activity. (58) It enhances the effect of cocaine (59), causes anxiety (60) and suppresses immune system activity. (61)
• 3-Ethylcarbonyl-6-benzyloxy-4-methoxymethyl-beta-carboline is sedative (62), causes amnesia (63), and blocks beta-oestradiol-LH (lutinizing hormone) interaction. (64)
• 3-Ethylcarbonyl-5-benzyloxy-4-methoxymethyl-beta-carboline strongly stimulates appetite. (65)
• 3-Ethylcarbonyl-5-isopropyl-4-methyl-beta-carboline causes restlessness (66), sleeplessness (67), and decreases social interaction. (68)

Besides ‘normal’ beta-carbolines, prepared foods also contain tetrahydro-beta-carbolines. (69).

• Tetrahydro-beta-carboline stimulates craving for alcohol (70), increases heart rate and blood pressure (71), and like 5-methoxy-tetrahydro-beta-carboline and 5-hydroxy-tetrahydro-beta-carboline increases prolactine-level and affects serotonine receptors. (72)
• 6-methoxy-tetrahydro-beta-carboline increases norepinephrine- and ACTH- secretion, and decreases serotonine- and growth hormone secretion. (73)
• 2-Fenylpyrazolo(4,3-c)quinoline-3(5H)-one is sedative (74), increases corticosterone-level (75) and decreases specific benzodiazepine-receptors in the brain. (76)

2. Cause Cancer

Part of the process causing cancer is mutagenic substances damaging cell-DNA. (see site5) Some HCA in prepared food are mutagenic.DNA-damage increases linearly with intake of HCA. (77) How cancerous HCA are is partly dependent on how much nitrogen they contain. (78) Salt, protein and nitrite (from vegetables) can supply nitrogen to react upon HCA. And nitrosated HCA are even more cancerous. (79) Some of the most widespread mutagenic HCA in prepared foods are:

• pyridoindole (80) (amino-gamma-carboline)
• 2-amino-9H-pyrido(2,3-b)indole(81) (amino-alpha-carboline)
• 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido(2,3-b) (82)
• 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole(83)
• 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole(84)
• 1-methyl-3-carbonyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline(85).
• 4-aminobiphenyl(86)
• 4,4′-methylenedianiline (87)
• 3,2′-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl(88)
• 1,2-dimethylhydrazine(89)
• phenyl-hydroxylamine (90)
• O-acetyl-N-(5-phenyl-2-pyridyl)-hydroxylamine(91)
• 2-amino-3-methylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoline(92)
• 2-amino-3-methylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoxaline(93)
• 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoline (94)
• 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoxaline (95)
• 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo(4,5-b)pyridine(96)
• 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoxaline (97)
• 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo(4,5-f)-quinoxaline(98)
• 2-amino-n,n,n-trimethylimidazo-pyridine(99)
• 2-amino-n,n-dimethylimidazopyridine (100)
• 2-amino-4-hydroxymethyl-3,8-dimethylimidazo-(4,5-g)-quinoxaline(101)
• 2-amino-1,7,9-trimethylimidazo-(4,5-g)-quinoxaline (101)
• 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-(4,5-b)-pyridine(102)

3. Cause Brain Diseases

Some HCA are directly toxic to the brain, like common quinolines, which enter the brain through the dopamine-transport system. (103)  Other common HCA (like pyridines (104) and beta-carbolines (105)) only become toxic to the brain after they have been partly decomposed by different enzymes (106) in the body. Originally , these enzymes have to, and do protect the brain against toxic substances, but part of the HCA are accidentally transformed into more toxic substances. (107) Obviously nature didn’t count on ‘strange’ HCA from prepared food. Pyridines can only occupy dopamine-receptors (108), and therefore are toxic to thesereceptors only. Partly decomposed pyridines are more toxic than the originals (109), but the originals do decrease dopamine- (110), norepinephrine- (111) and mostly serotonine-level (112). The destruction of receptors in the brain causes brain-diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. Some toxic-to-the brain HCA are:

• 3-N-butylcarbonyl-beta-carboline (113)
• 3-N-methylcarboxamide-beta-carboline(113)
• 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline(114)
• 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinoline(114)
• quinolinate (115)
• quisqualinate (116)
• tetrahydroisoquinoline(117)
• 1-benzyl-tetrahydro-isoquinoline(117)
• N-methyl-(R)-salsolinol(118)
• N-methyl-6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinoline(119)
• 6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinoline(119)
• 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine(120)
• 6-hydroxy-dopamine(121)
• N-methyl-4-fenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(122)
• 1-methyl-4-fenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(123)
• 1-methyl-4-fenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine(124).
• 4-fenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(125)
• 4-fenylpyridine(125)
• 3-acetylpyridine(126)
• 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine(127)
• 1-methyl-4-cyclohexic-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(128)
• 1-methyl-4-(2′-methylfenyl)-1,2,3,6–tetrahydropyridine (129)
• 1-methyl-4-(2′-ethylfenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (130)
• 1-methyl-4-(3′-methoxyfenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(131)
• 1-methyl-4-(methylpyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(132)

Though toxic pyridines create oxidative radicals (133) and decrease antioxidant-level (134), the intake of antioxidants cannot prevent brain damage by toxic pyridines. (135)

Additives

Food preparation exists primarily to make things edible that really are not so edible. Additives are primarily there to make fake food last longer, and to make you eat more. Taste enhancers for example are mostly concentrated protein, filled with lots of physically-addictive beta-carbolines that make you eat more. Glutamate (popular in the Chinese kitchen) indirectly influences the same (Benzodiazepine) receptors.

Adapted from ”New Substances In Prepared Food” by Wai Genriiu.
Copyright 2001 by Wai Genriiu, Adapted 2006-2017 by Robert Ross, RawFoodLife, LLC. Abstracts of most sources can be found at  the National Library of Medicine.

Also Read:

Learn How to Listen to Your Body: the Key to a Healthy Raw Food Diet