Koi pla – raw minced fish seasoned with herbs, spices and lemon juice – is popular among residents of Khon Kaen Province. According to journalists, even a single bite can cause liver cancer.
When traveling to Thailand, fans of Asian cuisine should avoid a dish popular in poorer parts of the country. The Mirror reports this.
Koi pla recipe: raw minced fish with herbs, spices and lemon juice. It is popular among residents of Khon Kaen province, especially in Isaan, one of the poorest regions in the country.
However, eating raw fish carries great risks. Just one bite can cause liver cancer and subsequent death.
Raw fish itself is not the cause of the disease; The problem is with flatworms that live in meat.
These parasites affect freshwater fish in the Mekong region. As a result, according to statistics, Isaan region ranks first in the world in the number of cholangiocarcinoma or biliary tract cancer cases.
The dish in question is believed to be responsible for 20,000 deaths a year in Thailand. Surgeon Narong Khunteo, who specializes in liver surgery, is trying to persuade people in the country to give up this food. His parents died of liver cancer, and he attributes the disease to eating koi pla.
“There is a very high health burden here. But no one knows it because they die silently, like leaves falling from the tree,” he explained.
Liver cancer has been called the “silent killer” and is associated with one of the lowest survival rates if not treated promptly. For the last few years, the doctor and his colleagues had been checking for the presence of the parasite among villagers in the Isaan region.
Ultrasound diagnostics and urine tests have shown that as many as 80% of residents in some communities have the deadly parasite. A doctor explains to locals the dangers of eating koi pla. But convincing the older generation is not an easy task.
Processing the fish will kill the parasites, but koi pla experts say this removes flavor.
Let us remind you that US authorities have approved a cancer-causing fuel component for use in all humans.
It was also reported that researchers found that the “useless” organ that surgeons often remove helps prevent cancer.
Source: Focus
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