Processed Meat

      First of all, what is processed meat? Processed meat is meat that has been modified by smoking, curing, or by adding preservatives such as salt. Examples include meals from fast food chains (McDonalds, KFC, etc.) and packaged meat such as bacon, sausages, bologna, and salami are all common processed meats.
 
    Processed meat is known to increase the risk of heart disease, heart failure, and the chance of type two diabetes. Also, because of the large amounts of sodium put into processed meat it can even cause stroke. But on a more serious tone, WHO (World Health Organization) has revealed shocking studies showing that red processed meats are carcinogenic. Red meats include beef, lamb, pork, veal, mutton, horse, and goat not chicken, fish, or turkey. Carcinogenic is simply a big word for  can cause cancer. Two chemicals in processed meats known as Sodium Nitrate and Amino Acids are responsible for cancer. Neither of these chemicals by themselves are substancially dangerous but when these two chemicals enter your body they form a chemical reaction with each other  which then creates carcinogenic compounds (cancer cells) in your body.

    Also, when meats are exposed to high tempratures, (e.g, smoking) the acids and sugars in the meat form to create heterocylic acids. Heterocylic acids are mutagenic (cause changes in the genes) and can lead to cancer. The only pro about Sodium Nitrates is that they help fight of harmful bacteria and help the meat sustain longer. Otherwise your meat  would spoil in a few days time.

   Many mainstream meat brands raise their cattle and poultry through growth antibiotics and sometimes drugs. These animals tend to be less healthy and their meat does not come out nearly as fresh and nutritious as it should. Some of the animals have not even set foot on grass! They are raised in small individual pens and are fed processed veggies such as canned corn and lettuce. Make sure that the brand your buying from is GMO free.

   The average adult eats approximately 71 grams of processed meat a day. Studies have shown that if you eat around 50 grams of processed meat a day that increases the chance of Colorectal cancer by 23 percent and the chance of Bowel cancer by 18 percent! 60 grams of processed meat a day can increase the chance of stomach cancer by 25 percent.

   In conclusion, processed meat is definitely not good for your body, sure it might last longer, look better and taste a whole lot better but the side effects are a no-brainer. It can cause diabetes,  stroke, heart problems, and even cancer. Scientist are searching form ways to replace Sodium Nitrates and reduce the amount of Heterocylic acids. But the simple solution to staying healthy is to cut down on the procesed meat! Try to stay below 250 grams of processed meat a week. An occasional meal of processed meat is ok but a daily dosage of it won’t keep you healthy. Also try eating more vegetables, which contain healthy substances which inhibit Sodium nitrates.