Eating Processed Meat May Up Gut Cancer Risks

Those red meat balls and ready-to-eat nuggets that you pick up from the supermarket may actually put you at an increased risk of developing gut cancer, scientists have warned. In humans, they have found the link between red and processed meat intake and cancer to be relatively small in magnitude but consistent. "Therefore, it may still present a serious public health impact," said a team of researchers from Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo. Though, there is a silver lining. Other foods, in cooperation with the bacteria that live in the gut, may protect the gut. So any potential adverse effects of meat may become less pronounced or may even be fully prevented, the study said. The team said that science does not yet have a full understanding of how food that we eat affects our gut and health. "To get a better grip on this complex issue, it is necessary to have an improved measures of how much meat people eat, the composition of the meat they eat and how this affects the risk that cancer develops," said the researchers. At the same time, efforts to make meat healthier in general needed to continue, they said. Related Links -

Advertisement

Is meat protein bad for us?Red meat, pork improve fertilityCutting down on red meat lowers heart disease, diabetesToo much meat may raise diabetes risk

Advertisement

Check prostate cancer: Eat more fish, vegetables, avoid meatsSynthetic meat: is it 'natural' food?For the latest food news and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and get the NDTV Cooks app for Android or iOS.