Meat can cause cancer!

Bacon, burgers and sausages were this week
deemed to be as big a cancer threat as
cigarettes, according to global health chiefs.
The warning saw processed meat added to the
list of items classified as carcingogenic to
humans by the World Health Organisation. 
It means dietary favourites, including salami,
chorizo and smoked ham, rank alongside arsenic
and asbestos, when it comes to the potential
cancer risk.
Officials said just 50g of processed meat a day
– less than one sausage – increases the risk of
bowel cancer by almost a fifth.

The report also classified red meat as 'probably
carcinogenic' – one rank below – but added that
it had some nutritional benefits.
Experts are now urging the public to avoid
processed meat where possible and to have a
bean salad for lunch rather than a BLT.
Processed meat has been preserved, for example
by smoking, and includes ham and pate, as well
as burgers and mince if they have been
preserved using salt or chemical additives.
Experts think the substances added during
processing cause cancer.
These include preservatives such as nitrates and
nitrites – as well as substantial amounts of salt.
Fresh red meat is also strongly linked to cancer
and the WHO categorised it one level below
processed meat, as 'probably carcinogenic'.
But it also provides many nutritional benefits and
is high in protein, iron and vitamin B12, which
prevent tiredness and infections.
Twenty-two experts at the WHO's International
Agency for Research on Cancer, from 10
countries, took the decision after reviewing more
than 800 studies that investigated the links
between red meat and processed meat and
various different types of cancer.
Processed meat was classified as carcinogenic,
based on sufficient evidence in humans that
consumption causes specifically colorectal or
bowel cancer, they concluded.
The classification of red meat as 'probably
carcinogenic to humans' was observed mainly in
relation to colorectal cancer, but links were also
seen for pancreatic and prostate cancer.
The experts concluded that each 50 gram portion
of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk
of colorectal cancer by 18%.
'For an individual, the risk of developing
colorectal cancer because of their consumption
of processed meat remains small, but this risk
increases with the amount of meat consumed,'
said Dr Kurt Straif, head of the IARC
Monographs Programme.
'In view of the large number of people who
consume processed meat, the global impact on
cancer incidence is of public health importance.'
Dr Christopher Wild, director of IARC added:
'These findings further support current public
health recommendations to limit intake of meat.
'At the same time, red meat has nutritional
value.
'Therefore, these results are important in
enabling governments and international
regulatory agencies to conduct risk assessments,
in order to balance the risks and benefits of
eating red meat and processed meat and to
provide the best possible dietary
recommendations.'