No need to panic over processed meat cancer link
THERE’S strong enough evidence to classify processed meat as a cause of cancer and red meat as a probable cause of cancer.
The link between red meats and cancer has been speculated about for some time
At Cancer Research UK, we support The International Agency for Research on Cancer’s decision.
We’ve known for some time about the probable link between red and processed meat and bowel cancer, which is backed by substantial evidence.
This decision doesn’t mean you need to stop eating any red and processed meat.
Eating processed meat once in a while isn't going to do much harm
But if you eat lots of it – you may want to think about cutting down.
Eating a bacon bap every once in a while isn’t going to do much harm – having a healthy diet is all about moderation
You could try having fish for your dinner rather than sausages, or choosing to have a bean salad for lunch over a BLT.
Eating a bacon bap every once in a while isn’t going to do much harm – having a healthy diet is all about moderation.
Overall red and processed meat cause fewer cases of cancer in the UK than some other lifestyle factors.
Cancer- The facts
And by far the biggest risk to your health is smoking.
It causes more than a quarter of cancer deaths in the UK and nearly one in five cancer cases.