The World Health Organization (WHO) just released a report basically condemning processed and red meat. According to USA TODAY, the report said that eating 1 1/4 hot dogs, or six thin slices of ham, or 2 2/3 slices of bacon per day can raise your health risk by 18 percent. Apparently there are carcinogens in processed and red meats which can lead to a variety of health problems, but most notably, colorectal cancer.
Does this report mean anything, or is is just — dare we say — bologna?
“Many studies have shown that eating red meat is not necessary for a healthy diet. However, for those of us who grew up eating it every day, it’s a staple,” said one Leader staff member. “Lean red meats, like beef and venison, provide protein, iron and vitamins. If I stopped eating red meat, my anemia would act up for sure.”
Of course, we don’t discount the fact that red meat usually has high fat content, and processed meat have high sodium content. Eating red and processed meats were never considered integral to losing weight or getting healthy. But could it possibly be that dangerous? It turns out that maybe this WHO report has gotten blown out of proportion.
“Processed meats are being classified in WHO’s ‘Group 1,’ the carcinogenic hazard group. What else is classified in this sector? Sunlight and alcohol,” pointed out another Leader staff member. “The media has a tendency, in an effort to gain readership and viewership, to leave certain facts out. They know that the shock factor is what draws in their readers.
“What these sites conveniently leave out is the part of the study and other WHO studies that mentions that ‘smoking increases your relative risk of lung cancer by 2,500 percent; [while] eating two slices of bacon a day increases your relative risk for colorectal cancer by 18 percent,’ as mentioned in a wired.com article,” she continued.
The root of the problem seems to rest with the general public. Everyone is worked up about this whole meat thing because it’s new and because it affects something we encounter in our everyday lives. But if we’re being honest, this news is not going to keep anyone from eating their favorite breakfast meats.
But now that they’re linked to cancer, will that truly deter anyone from eating bacon?
“Just thinking about what “processing” is grosses me out,” said a third Leader staff member. “But in reality, one would have to consume an absurd amount of meat in order for it to be deadly. Copious amounts of literally anything could lead to death.”
A fourth Leader staff member pointed out that moderation is key.
“Unless you eat an entire cow’s worth of red meat in one sitting, you’re probably going to be fine,” she said. “Because honestly? What doesn’t kill you little by little every day? We’re all going to die eventually so if it is at the hooves of a pig-turned-bacon, then so be it.”