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World|opinion & analysis|October 27, 2015 / 12:15 PM
How to eat meat: the new rules

AKIPRESS.COM - Bacon The World Health Organisation released a report on Monday about the dangers of eating red and processed meats, which it compares with the risks associated with smoking.

The WHO report classified processed meats such as bacon and sausages as “group 1 carcinogens” — in the same category as cigarettes and diesel engine exhaust — and ranked red meat on the next level down as a “probable” carcinogen, in the same category as the weedkiller ingredient glyphosate.

It advised that eating just 100 grams of red meat raises the risk of cancer by 17 per cent while eating 50 grams of processed meats increases the risk by 18 per cent.

The determination, published by a panel of researchers for the International Agency for Research on Cancer, concluded there was strong evidence to support a link between eating too much meat and the onset of colorectal cancer, the third most common type worldwide, reported The Australian.

The IARC also admits that eating meat has health benefits — it is a good source of key nutrients such as vitamin B12, zinc and protein, and Tim Key, epidemiologist for Cancer Research UK, says: “The WHO decision doesn’t mean you need to stop eating any red and processed meat.”

However, he adds; “If you eat lots of it you may want to think about cutting down.”

Red meat is devoid of fibre and other nutrients that have a protective effect against cancer, and studies have also found that people who eat a lot of red meat tend to eat fewer vegetables that help protect against cancer.

But it’s not just the quantity of meat that is important; the preparation of meat also has to be taken into account.

Carcinogenic chemicals may be added during processing of meats such as salami and bacon, but over cooking red meat can also increase carcinogenic compounds such as heterocyclic amines (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Grilling or barbecuing red meat over a direct flame (i.e. a BBQ) also produces significant levels of PAHs as does frying bacon.

The National Cancer Institute in the US advises avoiding exposing meat to an open flame and recommends microwaving meat before finishing it off on a pan or under a grill.

Ingredients to avoid

Sodium nitrite (E250) and sodium nitrate (E251)

These are salts used in the meat-curing process, and have been linked with an increased risk of leukaemia. Processed meat can contain as much as 400 per cent more salt than fresh meat, and high salt consumption has been associated with stomach cancer as well as high blood pressure and heart disease.

Smoked flavourings

Wood smoke can contain PAH chemicals, according to a report in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.

Corn Syrup: used as part of the moisture management plan used in the production of processed meat. the body doesn’t metabolise corn syrup in the same way it metabolises sugar, leading to concerns about its link to rising rates of obesity. It is also high in fructose, and studies from the University of California Los Angeles have linked fructose to pancreatic cancer.

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