From the perspective of cancer prevention and treatment, as a doctor, I would definitely advise everyone to eat as little barbecue as possible. However, it's important to note that "moderation" is a key factor, and there's no need to treat barbecue as a terrifying monster that you dare not touch. In fact, as long as you don't have an addiction and don't eat it frequently over the long term, having it occasionally is not a major issue. Of course, if you can avoid it altogether, that would be the best.
Let's first talk about how barbecue causes cancer. The problem actually lies in the cooking process itself. The same food is perfectly fine if prepared by steaming or boiling, and it won't have a significant impact on your body. However, when prepared by grilling or smoking, it may produce heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during the process. One of the most well-known of these chemicals is benzopyrene, which can be found in many grilled and smoked foods.
Barbecue doesn't cause cancer from a single serving! Moderation is key!
Benzopyrene is clearly classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), under the World Health Organization, as a Group 1 carcinogen. A Group 1 carcinogen doesn't refer to the toxicity or potency of the substance, but rather to the sufficiency and level of evidence for its carcinogenicity. The more comprehensive the research evidence and the higher the evidence level, the clearer its carcinogenicity, and thus it is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, followed by Groups 2, 3, and 4.
Since barbecue foods may contain carcinogenic chemicals like benzopyrene, eating it frequently can indeed increase a person's risk of developing cancer.
Here's a word that people might not pay much attention to: "frequently." This means that eating barbecue occasionally, although it may also be detrimental to our health, is generally safe. Even if there is a theoretical possibility of causing cancer, it can be basically ignored. The real fear is for those who eat it long-term, frequently, or have an addiction to it, forming a dietary habit. Habits are the most terrifying thing. Many cancer patients have a direct relationship with their unhealthy lifestyle habits, so it is still recommended to pay attention to developing good eating habits in daily life.