A study has exposed the deadly dangers of a diet packed with processed meats, finding that even just one rasher of bacon a day is enough to put your wellness at risk. According to the researchers from the University of Zurich, if you’re regularly tucking into a diet of sausages, bacon, ready meals and pies, you are dramatically increasing your risk of developing heart disease and cancer.
The results, published in the journal BMC Medicine, showed that people who live on processed meat increase their risk of dying by 44%, but 3% of early deaths could be prevented each year if everyone ate below 20 grams of processed meat a day, which is less than a single rasher of bacon. However, the results don’t mean you have to turn veggie, but rather switch your weekend fry-up for a nice Sunday roast. According to the study’s findings, a small amount of red meat such as beef, pork or lamb could even be a beneficial source of vitamins and nutrients.
The study was one of the largest studies of its kind, involving half a million men and women across 10 European countries. The participants were aged between 35 and 70, with widely ranging diets, and filled in questionnaires about the food they had eaten over the previous year. Meats were grouped into processed, red (including pork, horse and goat) and white (such as chicken, turkey, duck and rabbit). The follow-up period lasted an average of 13 years.
The results showed that high consumption of processed meat (which was defined as 160 grams or more a day – the equivalent of around three sausages or six rashers of bacon) resulted in a 72% increased risk of dying from heart disease, and an 11% increased risk of dying from cancer. The researchers found that this kind of diet often went hand-in-hand with an unhealthy lifestyle.
Tracy Parker, heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation, commented, ‘The people who ate the most processed meat in this study also made other unhealthy lifestyle choices. Red meat can still be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. Opting for leaner cuts and using healthier cooking methods such as grilling will help to keep your heart healthy. If you eat lots of processed meat, try to vary your diet with other protein choices such as chicken, fish, beans or lentils.’
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