Eating processed meat can cause bowel cancer in humans while red meat is a likely cause of the disease, World Health Organization (WHO) experts said on Monday in findings that could sharpen debate over the merits of a meat-based diet.

 

The France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, put processed meat like hot dogs and ham in its group 1 list, which already includes tobacco, asbestos and diesel fumes, for which there is "sufficient evidence" of cancer links.

 

"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," Dr Kurt Straif, Head of the IARC Monographs Programme, said in a statement.

 

Red meat, under which the IARC includes beef, lamb and pork, was classified as a "probable" carcinogen in its group 2A list that also contains glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weedkillers.

 

The lower classification for red meat reflected "limited evidence" that it causes cancer. The IARC found links mainly with bowel cancer, but also observed associations with pancreatic and prostate cancer, it said.

 

If meat causes cancer, what can we eat? What in the world is there left to eat so you can stay healthy?

 

Doctors say it's easy: Eat more like a Greek. Yes, your parents were right to push you to finish your veggies. The Mediterranean diet -- one heavy on veggies, nuts and fruit, with limits on meat and dairy -- is the way to go. Study after study has shown it is the key to help you live longer and puts you at a lower risk for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It even keeps your brain younger and healthier. And while you will feel better and potentially live longer on a diet that favors veggies and fruits, it will also help you maintain a healthy weight and a thinner waist line, which is good for your overall health, self-esteem and mental well-being too.

 

So, for your health's sake, here's what you can do to follow this plant-oriented Mediterranean diet. It's pretty simple and it offers a wide variety too, so you won't be bored with what's on your plate.

 

Make your meals heavy on the vegetable, bean and cereal side. You can eat fish and poultry at least twice a week. Snack on nuts and fruit. You don't have to do anything so extreme as avoiding carbs. You can have three servings of those a day, especially if they are of the whole-grain variety. If you drink, enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner. The red variety is supposed to be particularly good for your heart health. Cook with olive oil as opposed to butter. And limit the amount of saturated fat, meat and dairy.

 

If you can't give up your bacon or burger habit, be reassured one bite will not kill you. In fact, the National Cattleman's Beef Association says the scientific evidence does not support a causal relationship between red meat or processed meat and cancer. But the International Agency for Research on Cancer that did the report says that based on the research it used for its study, an estimated 50-gram portion of processed meat you eat increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. That 50 grams is about two or three slices of bacon. And of course just because something raises the risk of cancer doesn't mean you will get it.

 

So bottom line, if you must eat meat, make it a special treat rather than a staple. Eat more plants and you'll feel better, you'll be healthier and you'll look good, too.

 

Sources

Jen Christensen(CNN), Reuters