Processed and Red โMeat Linked to Increased Bowelโ Cancer Risk, Research Confirms
new evidence reinforces the connection between consumption of processed and red meat โขandโข an elevated risk ofโข bowel cancer. A growing body of โresearch, including studies cited by Cancer Research UK, points to specific chemicals in these foods as key contributors to cellular damage โขin the โbowel, potentially โleading to cancer progress over time.
While a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle areโฃ crucial for overall cancerโ prevention, โexperts emphasize that the linkโ between meat consumption and bowel cancer is โespeciallyโ well-established. This isn’t aboutโ eliminating all meat, but understandingโ the risks associated with certain โtypes and โplanning methods. Theโข accumulation of damage to โbowel cells caused by specific compounds foundโ in meat is โthe primaryโฃ concern, according to Cancer Researchโ UK.
Three keyโ chemicals haveโ beenโ identifiedโ asโค contributing to this โrisk: haem, a red pigment predominantly foundโ in red meat; nitrates and nitrites,โค used as preservatives in processed meats; andโ heterocyclic amines โฃ(HCAs) and polycyclic amines (PCAs), formed when meat isโ cooked at high temperatures (pubmed/30376922). โ
The World Health Organisation defines processedโค meat as any that has beenโฃ “transformed through salting,curing,fermentation,smoking,or other processesโค to enhance flavour or improve โpreservation.” Commonโค examples include hot dogs (frankfurters), ham, sausages, corned beef, biltongโ or beef jerky, canned meat, and meat-based โpreparations and sauces. these products frequentlyโค enough โคcontain pork โor beef, but may also โinclude other red meats, poultry, offal, or โmeatโข by-products.
cancer Researchโ UK explains that โฃnitrates andโข nitrites in processed meat canโ convert into N-nitroso chemicals (NOCs) within the body, directly damaging โcells lining the bowel โขand increasing the likelihood ofโ cancer. This cellular damage accumulates over โtime, โraising the overall risk.
