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Processed Meat and Health Risks

Written by Gloria Tsang, RD and Lauren Girdler
Published in September 2008

processed meat health (HealthCastle.com) A new ad campaign from the Cancer Project is calling for a ban on serving processed meats in schools nationwide. The campaign was prompted by a report issued last year by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund that found a direct link between eating processed meat and developing certain kinds of cancer.

Processed Meat and Cancer

The study concluded that eating a 50-gram serving of processed meat every day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent. A 50-gram serving is approximately the same size as a hot dog, a product that many children eat on a daily basis! The Cancer Project is focusing its attention on trying to reform the federal Child Nutrition Act, as it is up for renewal in 2009. This program establishes the types of foods that are served in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs.

Processed Meat and Food Borne Illness

However, cancer isn't the only concern for those who eat processed meat. Recently a listeria outbreak in Canada has claimed the lives of eight individuals, with seven more deaths under investigation. Listeria, one form of food poisoning, can appear in processed meats that do not seem spoiled in any way. Pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with a weakened immune system are most susceptible to listeria.

What is Processed Meat?

Any meats that are salted, cured, smoked or preserved with nitrate are considered processed meats. They are usually high in fats and salt, which means they are not heart-friendly, either. All of the following are considered processed meats:

Bacon
Sausage
Ham
Hot dogs
Salami
Lunch meat
Other cured meats

Bottom Line

Due to the increased risk of cancer and of contracting listeria, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with a weakened immune system should never eat processed meat. Even if you do not fall into one of these categories, you should avoid processed meats if you can. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommended in its 2007 report that you should avoid processed meats at all costs.

Try the following healthier ways to enjoy meat:

Choose fish, poultry, or beans as an alternative.
Select meat with leaner cuts. For beef, choose eye of round, top round roast, top sirloin and flank; for pork, choose tenderloin and loin chops.
Watch your portions. One serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards.
Prepare meat with cooking methods that use less oil such as baking, broiling or poaching.
Marinade meat before grilling.