Bacon: can something so good be bad for you? Recent reports have shown that bacon is one of many processed meats that might be linked to an increased risk of cancer. The American Cancer Institute has stated that even a relatively small amount of bacon, less than 2 strips per day, can increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent.
Recent studies have also associated the consumption of processed meats and red meat as well as high-temperature cooking methods of meat products to an increase in risk for renal cancer, heart failure, diabetes as well as several other forms of cancer.
The fact that these products and methods of preparation contain carcinogens, which increase the risk of cancer, has prompted a debate on whether meat products should contain warning labels in order to inform customers of the potential risks associated with the consumption of these food items.
But many meat lovers have reacted to the news with anything from disbelief to rage at what they consider to be an anti-meat campaign. Many people were left debating whether the studies have proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that meat consumption does involve these risks and that everyone who does it certain amounts of processed meats will suffer the predicted consequences.
Scientists have since explained that what the research indicates is not meat will inevitably kill you but rather that certain types of meat eaten in high quantities could increase your risk of developing certain diseases. This does not mean that all the people involved in the studies that were recently published on the matter have suddenly started to recommend that people eliminate meat form their diets completely or become vegan.
The studies have rather aimed at warning people that consuming large quantities of certain meat products could be very dangerous. The answer, according to specialists, is not eliminating meat from your diet but rather being careful of how much of it you eat and in what form. As always, a balanced diet is the best option in order to avoid increased risk of many diseases, not just cancer.
And while some interpretations of the new research may have been extreme, the point that scientists are trying to get across to the general public is that people must be aware of how much meat they consume, how dangerous it is for their health depending on whether it is red, processed or cured, and how it is prepared, since certain cooking methods pose less threat than others.
So while bacon isn’t good for your health in large quantities, no food is if you eat too much of it. The point is rather to be careful not to eat it excessively than not to eat it at all.
Image source: www.pixabay.com