Some readers have asked about the rumor circulating online: "Using a pressure cooker to cook pork ribs will increase homocysteine," and that high levels of this substance can lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Is this true?
This rumor is easy to believe for two reasons. First, "cooking pork ribs in a pressure cooker" is a common household activity. Second, "homocysteine" is an unfamiliar term. Linking an unfamiliar, even mysterious, concept with the most common details of daily life are the two key elements that constitute a rumor. For example, the term "enzyme" in the previous rumor "enzymes can help with weight loss and wellness" is just as "impressive" and "high-end" as "homocysteine," making it hard not to believe.
Indeed, elevated homocysteine can indeed lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but its increase has nothing to do with whether you use a pressure cooker or a clay pot to stew the ribs. Regardless of the pot or cooking method you use, as long as you consume too much animal protein, it can potentially increase "homocysteine." So, the pressure cooker is not the problem; the problem is that you are eating too much meat, even lean meat.
"Homocysteine" does not exist in nature on its own; it is a metabolic byproduct of methionine. In this metabolic process, several key substances influence its levels: they are Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and folic acid. Among medications, metformin used for treating diabetes, and diseases like hypothyroidism, can also lead to an increase in this substance, whereas B vitamins and folic acid can lower homocysteine. Methionine mainly comes from animal protein, so if you are a die-hard meat lover who doesn't eat vegetables, fruits, or whole grains, that alone is enough to elevate "homocysteine."
In the end, a light diet with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables is always the ironclad rule for health. As long as you grasp this main point, there's no need to worry about any "new concepts." This includes "enzymes," which are actually "biological enzymes"—something our bodies already produce naturally. As for "fruit enzymes," they are nothing more than the enzymes our grandparents used when pickling sauerkraut. There's no need to elaborate on whether they can promote wellness.