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Wednesday, October 28th, 2015

Processed meats do cause cancer – WHO

Author:    
Source:     BBC News (U.K.)
Publication Date:     27 October 2015
 Link: Processed meats do cause cancer – WHO
Stephan:   I quit eating processed meats, except for very occasional exceptions driven by a desire not to be rude to a host or hostess, or because there was no alternative available without making a fuss. The substances used to produce these products just seemed like something I would be better off not putting into my body.  Now we have some actual data. It should give you pause.
Credit: Thinkstock

Credit: Thinkstock

Processed meats – such as bacon, sausages and ham – do cause cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Its report said 50g of processed meat a day – less than two slices of bacon – increased the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18%.

Meanwhile, it said red meats were “probably carcinogenic” but there was limited evidence.

The WHO did stress that meat also had health benefits.

Cancer Research UK said this was a reason to cut down rather than give up red and processed meats.

And added that an occasional bacon sandwich would do little harm.

What is processed meat?

Processed meat has been modified to either extend its shelf life or change the taste and the main methods are smoking, curing, or adding salt or preservatives.

Simply putting beef through a mincer does not mean the resulting mince is “processed” unless it is modified further.

Processed meat includes bacon, sausages, hot dogs, salami, corned beef, beef jerky and ham as well as canned meat and meat-based sauces.

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