It seems like almost anything these days can be a trigger for various forms of cancer. The latest findings from research performed by World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that processed meats, and even non-processed red meats can be considered carcinogens to humans.
There is limited evidence to suggest that eating red meat will actually cause cancer; but in the research it was found that for every 100g of red meat consumed on a daily basis, your chances of developing colon cancer are reported to increase by up to 17%.
In terms of processed meats, the number is significantly higher, and it’s estimated that for every 50g of processed meat consumed on a daily basis, your chances of developing colon cancer increase by up to 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,” says 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.”
Red meat has been categorized under group 2A, which means that it’s only “probably” carcinogenic to humans. Processed meat, on the other hand, has been categorized under group 1, which means that there is a decent amount of evidence to support that it is carcinogenic to humans.
All kinds of processed meats can be at fault, including bacon, sausage, hotdogs, corned beef, and ham. Processed meat is essentially any kind of meat that has been modified with preservatives to make the mat last longer on the shelf. This includes salted meat, smoked meat, fermented meat, and even cured meat.
Those preservatives are actually to blame for the meats’ carcinogenic properties, and not necessarily the meat itself. It’s not far from the truth to say that fresh organic meat continues to be the healthiest choice for meat lover, but even red meat can be the cause of colon cancer in humans, the report suggests.
The colon cancer risks increase when people do nothing but eat these kinds of foods over and over again, day after day. These are the people to most likely develop these kinds of health complications.
As the report suggests, there is nothing wrong with eating these kinds of foods every once in a while, with the key word being “moderation.” It’s a great idea to mix your foods up and ensure that you’re eating a healthy diet with the proper servings of fruits and vegetables, as well as the necessary amounts of fiber to keep everything moving.
Source: World Health Organization