Is It True That Red & Processed Meats Can Cause Cancer?

*This was originally written in response to findings regarding red meat and cancer in October 2015 and shared in my newsletter*

Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that processed, cured and possibly red meats can cause cancer. These findings were published in Lancet medical journal.

Given my occupation, a few friends reached out to me with inquiries about this “news” so I will share with you my thoughts on this discovery.

First off, this isn’t really anything new and groundbreaking, at least in my opinion. At least once a year or more, there seems to be some unveiling of research or data showing a link between meat and cancer. Don’t freak out just yet.

Here are a few reasons why…

Correlation is not Causation. 

Though studies like the ones published in Lancet recently may present data that convince consuming processed and cured meats are linked to colorectal cancer, this study does not prove that eating these meats CAUSE cancer. They are simply able to show a correlation. I’m not discounting that a correlation is meaningless, however a correlation is NOT the same as a cause.

Think of it this way if you’re still confused. A totally different example, but still illustrates a point I’m trying to convey:

Kathleen likes to hang out with her friends, the Troublemakers who are known for causing havoc around town from time to time. One night, the Troublemakers lit a town building on fire. Meanwhile, Kathleen was at home watching a movie. Though Kathleen has a personal connection to her friends and the crime-causing group, she did not cause that fire that evening. See how a correlation is not the same as a cause? One might assume or draw the conclusion that there is a significant statistically relevant chance that Kathleen caused the fire because of the high correlation between her and the Troublemakers.

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Here are other factors to consider in regards to processed meats & cancer:

 

The evidence pointing the blame at processed meats looked at observational studies (not the gold standard, double-blind placebo controlled studies). It would be quite difficult to conduct a large scale double-blind study in regards to diet, however.

Those who gravitate towards eating processed meats may also have other habits such as: smoking, drinking excessively, not exercising, not eating enough vegetables (lack of vitamins and minerals in diet as well as fiber) just to name a few.

How does one isolate processed meats as the definitive cause of cancer and not one or more of the other habits? 

There is simply no way of doing so unless there is a controlled, double-blind study.

On the other hand, those who don’t choose to eat processed meats (let’s use the example of vegetarians) may have other healthier habits in their daily lives such as: exercise regularly, eating an adequate amount of vegetables and fiber, not smoking, etc.

Is it really the meat or could it potentially be other factors? It’s hard to say. I’m not saying it’s NOT the meat, but I’m also not saying it is either. There are far too many factors to consider and without isolating them, we can not accurately draw the conclusion that it is the meats that are the cause.

Here’s the big one…What quality of processed and cured meats are we looking at? 

In this observational study, were researchers asking participants if they were eating conventional, industrialized, and mass-produced bacon that pump their animals full of antiobiotics, hormones and who knows what else to offer an inferior product and maximize profits while risking health for many who are consuming the product? A majority of people in the US are probably purchasing this type of bacon and processed meats. BUT, to say that ALL bacon and processed meats cause cancer is not taking into consideration the population of individuals who are making smart buying decisions to consume responsibly-raised animals and smaller-production meat products which often tend to be healthier and more nutrient-dense.

Would consuming a homemade sausage made from pasture-raised pork be the same as eating a frozen/microwaveable Banquet brand breakfast sausage? I definitely do not think the nutrient content and ingredients are the same, so to put a blanket statement on all processed meat products is not accurate.

The WHO also lists other classifications for carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) and on this list includes:

Alcoholic beverages: do you see anyone up in arms about cutting back on their drink intake? I would agree, over-consuming alcohol is probably not a good thing but what about moderate consumption?

Click here for the full list:

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens

So, what about a moderate consumption of high-quality bacon or an occasional sausage purchased from your local butcher? What if you balance out that meat intake with some sauerkraut and a salad?

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In Summary

Quality of meat does make a difference.
Eating cheap, conventional meats (non-organic, with additives such as nitrites and nitrates) is not the same as eating bacon or sausage that is nitrite/nitrate free and from animals that are given no hormones or antibiotics.

Don’t overdo any food.
I would never condone eating bacon or sausage day in and day out. One needs to diversify their food palette getting adequate nutrition from a variety of sources: rotating your protein choices and eating a wide range of plants. If one were to eat bacon and hot dogs everyday and never touch a veggie, that would not be a good health scenario, I’m sure. Also, relying on bacon and sausage as your only form of meat-based protein would not be ideal. There are a multitude of other meats to choose from if you are able to eat them.

What are the consequences of abstaining from meats altogether?
I’m not trying to convert anyone to a carnivorous diet, however observational studies such as these do not take into consideration the other end of the spectrum. For some, hearing news such as this could potentially scare them into giving up meat altogether, including the healthier kinds I mention above which can be nutritious, and health-giving. I could write an entire post on nutrients that one could be deficient in by not consuming meat and the health consequences involved in that type of situation — just something to ponder over.

A lot of info to process, I know.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Drop me an email and let me know if I missed a major point or what you think.

But I hope that by presenting some of these points you are able to make a sound decision for yourself and whether or not you’d like to banish meat or rather take a more selective approach to buying and consuming your animal proteins.

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If Is It True That Red & Processed Meats Can Cause Cancer? was helpful, please share this post with a friend so that they too may learn something from reading it.

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