Avoid Red and Processed Meats

There Is No Safe Amount of Processed Meat

Processed meat—from hot dogs to bacon—increases the risk of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even early death.

The World Health Organization has determined that processed meat is a major contributor to colorectal cancer, classifying it as “carcinogenic to humans.” Just one hot dog or a few strips of bacon consumed daily increases cancer risk by 18 percent. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AIRC) have also found that “the evidence on processed meat and cancer is clear-cut.” [1] [2]

“Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but processed meats may also contain other red meats, poultry, offal, or meat by-products such as blood. Examples of processed meat include hot dogs (frankfurters), ham, sausages, corned beef, and biltong or beef jerky as well as canned meat and meat-based preparations and sauces.”

– World Health Organization

References

1. IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat (who.int)

2. Limit red & processed meat | World Cancer Research Fund International (wcrf.org)

3. Recommendations and public health and policy implications (wcrf.org)

4. Potential health hazards of eating red meat - PubMed (nih.gov)

5. Red and processed meat consumption and breast cancer: UK Biobank cohort study and meta-analysis - PubMed (nih.gov)

6. Meat Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Over Half a Million People | Cancer Screening, Prevention, Control | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network

7. Poor diet tied to nearly half of U.S. deaths from heart disease, stroke, diabetes | Reuters