Today is a sad day…. Bacon makes everything better is a lie according to WHO!
The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has released a report (via The Lancet overnight) stating that they have enough evidence to show the need to place cured and processed meats in the same category as asbestos, alcohol, arsenic and tobacco.
The evidence shows a strong link to causing bowel cancer… It goes on to place red meat in the second grouping (2A) as “probably carcinogenic to humans” and that the consumption of red meat is also linked to pancreatic and prostate cancer, the IARC says.
22 Scientists from 10 countries around the world formed a working group to evaluate the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat. The majority of the Working Group concluded that there is sufficient evidence that the consumption of processed meat was carcinogenic to humans. The same group also concluded that there is limited evidence in human beings for the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat so has placed that in a probable but not definite grouping.
Eating just 50gms per day gives you an increase of almost 20% chance of bowel cancer. This covers all processed meats from bacon (jesus christ no!!), sausages, ham, prosciutto, salami etc… ultimately anything that has been cured, fermented or smoked, i.e. all the tasty stuff! The IARC has placed these tasty tasty meats in the same category as smoking!! Bastards!
Thinking about my consumption of these meats, sure i don’t eat bacon every day, i don’t eat ham every day, nor do i eat sausages or salami every day but if i added it all up through my so-called balanced diet, i would consume one of these items a week totally at least 5 times a week at more than 50gms a portion (50gms is less than one decent sized thin beef snag)…
This is going to be hard… By IARC’s count, i’m sitting somewhere in the 35-40% more liking to get bowel cancer. I will have to reduce my intake without question. Who gets the chop first? They are all soooo bloody tasty. especially bacon! and ham… and sausages. This really is going to be hard.
It will be interesting to see consumers response in reducing their intake etc. Putting the addictively tasty bacon aside, what about all those families whose kids only eat sausages etc.. Will their parents stop feeding them sausages if it’s the only red meat they eat in order to get all the relevant nutrients such Iron, Zinc and vitamin B etc…
Will this be one of those studies in a decade (such as eating fat and drinking red wine) where they say, “Oops! Actually it’s not really that bad for you in moderation as you actually get other benefits from the consumption of processed meats” type comment?
I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing warning labels on packets of bacon etc? Only time will tell but until then, i’m going to have to cut down on all, not out, but all..