processed meat

sunman00
sunman00 Posts: 872 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've just seen a report on the BBC basically telling us not to eat any processed meat at all.

we know that sliced ham, bacon rashers and the like are 'processed' but the report showed pictures (but no reference) no meat pies, pasties & even a 'ready meal' lasagne

does anyone know how we can tell if meat has been 'processed'? and what that means?

BTW, the report was from a cancer research lab who've tested 500,000 people and are suggesting a direct link between over intake of processed meat and bowel cancer.

Replies

  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    The print version of the report you mention also said that reducing intake to under 20g a day has a potential net effect of eliminating a whole 3% of premature deaths. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

    That said, the study looked at individuals eating the equivalent of 3 sausages a day. I don't know about you, but I find the majority of meat-eaters now do not eat red or processed meat every day anyway - chicken, fish, other proteins are often cheaper, apart from anything else!
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    I've just seen a report on the BBC basically telling us not to eat any processed meat at all.

    we know that sliced ham, bacon rashers and the like are 'processed' but the report showed pictures (but no reference) no meat pies, pasties & even a 'ready meal' lasagne

    does anyone know how we can tell if meat has been 'processed'? and what that means?

    BTW, the report was from a cancer research lab who've tested 500,000 people and are suggesting a direct link between over intake of processed meat and bowel cancer.

    .... bacon isn't processed it's a cut of meat lol
  • S_U_M_M_E_R
    S_U_M_M_E_R Posts: 220 Member
    Interesting! I have recently starting eating meat which was humanely raised (it will say so on the package) because when an animal is abused it releases stress hormones which we in turn ingest. They also are fattened with hormones so I eat the ones that are free from that. And animals which are grain fed are not as good as animals which are grass fed or vegetable fed. It is more expensive, but as you can see, it is worth the money. If you have heard of Laura's Lean beef, it is found in most popular grocery stores in America (not sure where you live) but her's fits all the criteria. I buy my meat at a local health food market. A lot of people I know buy their meat online. I haven't done that yet so cannot recommend a company to you.

    In other words, eat meat in its purest form. I believe that when beef or turkey are ground that it is bad bc they ground all kinds of "animal parts" into it, the parts which aren't healthy. Not sure about that, but thought I read that. But I still eat it.
  • davidwgold
    davidwgold Posts: 50
    I had a look into this a bit earlier and it's not all too clear, they mention bacon, sausages and sliced ham but nothing other than images of anything else but from having a bit more of a read around it looks as if it's the cheaper packed foods that are causing the most problems and it looks like the connection is between not only the actual meat but more the chemicals and salt used to preserve it so from that I've presumed that ready meals, pasties and a lot of per-packaged, cheaper foods are what has been found as the connection because of how it's treated to preserve it.

    I may be wrong but they've given such little information about the findings that its not easy to find what foods they actually used, it would be helpful if they just gave a list. But as they said it's not going to kill you if you have a full English every so often, it's more focused on those that consume it on a much more regular basis and in larger quantities!
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    If you are worried about it, just eat meat in it's purest form. Bacon is a cut of meat, it isn't processed. Same with ham - but you will need to buy the more expensive cuts to avoid any added rubbish.

    Tbh though I am quite partial to the occasional sausage and a little bit of what you like won't kill you.
  • herebeeri
    herebeeri Posts: 39 Member
    "Processed meat refers to meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and some sausages. Hamburgers and minced meats only count as processed meat if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21682779
  • Wildcat1975
    Wildcat1975 Posts: 2 Member
    I once read an artical in a newspaper that said Apples gives you cancer. Studys will find what ever result they are after. Out of the 500,000 people, who was to say that they were not scoffing down cream cakes etc. whilst the people in white coats had their back turned. There are too many external factors that can override a study like this. :smile: My two pennies worth anyway.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    processed meat = meat that has been processed. I know that sounds rude, but that is what it is. Unless it's hanging off the bone, it's processed. Fresh cuts from your butcher are not processed. Ground down bum holes and hoofs (as my dad puts it) are processed. Minced meat, sausages etc = processed
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    processed meat is when it's been processed IE it's been taken from lol... "bumholes and hoofs" and various cuts, ground down, and reformed usually with additives to make it hold more water, fat and salt

    bacon is a cut of meat, i'm not saying smoking bacon doesn't have the same results (personally i only eat unsmoked bacon anyway) but it is not processed

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_cut
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    processed meat is when it's been processed IE it's been taken from lol... "bumholes and hoofs" and various cuts, ground down, and reformed usually with additives to make it hold more water, fat and salt

    bacon is a cut of meat, i'm not saying smoking bacon doesn't have the same results (personally i only eat unsmoked bacon anyway) but it is not processed

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_cut
    Bacon is cured (a form of processing) pork. It's not a particular cut of the animal.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    Bacon is the original processed meat. It is pork before it is made into bacon.

    The pork is then salted and smoked (if it is smoked bacon) Saltpetre is added to preserve coulor. I imagine other stuff is added too, to a lot of bacon, but I have made it and thats how I did it. I tried not adding the saltpetre, but it then ends up being grey, which I can cope with, but nobody else would eat it like that so I relented the next time and added the saltpetre back.
  • chrisjathompson
    chrisjathompson Posts: 227 Member
    Processed meat

    Processed meat refers to meats preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, salami, hot dogs and sausages.
    Processed meat and cancer

    Research shows that eating processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer.

    When meat is preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives, cancer-causing substances can be formed. These substances can damage cells in the body and lead to the development of colorectal cancer.

    http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/Prevention/Nutrition and fitness/Red and processed meat.aspx?sc_lang=en
  • fearlesskcl
    fearlesskcl Posts: 159 Member
    I watched this on BBC news this morning and my conclusion from it was the same as always! Everything in moderation. I personally will not be cutting bacon, sausages and cured meats out of my diet. But I will not be eating them everyday either. Anything to excess is bad for you.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Report
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21682779

    Abstract
    http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/63/abstract

    Full article, provisional version
    http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-11-63.pdf

    The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.

    That said, don't worry too much about it. If you are an active individual with a diet largely consisting of nutrient dense food, then there isn't much need to worry about it, as long you are not eating 160g of processed meat every single day as the authors say.

    Also, "For most people there's no need to cut back on fresh, red meat. For people who have very high intake of red meat - eat lots of red meat every day - there is the recommendation that they should moderate their intake," she added.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    There is a slight link but like everything in life you have to *kitten* the risk and decide whether it is worth it. I will still eat processed pork in moderation, because I do not consider the risk to be particularly high.

    There is a much greater risk of death getting in a car and I do that, too.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,274 Member
    Another observational study where they use the quartile of participants that consume the most meat, are obese, smoke, don't exercise, have other medical issues, then propose these people "could"be at increased risk and then propose a decrease intake to 70g's a day is fine, your ok. Sometimes I wonder if they actually take this stuff seriously, and what I mean is, as gospel. Observational studies are studies of mass destruction, decreasing brain cells all the while spreading meh. lol
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
    Basically, it boils down to fat people who eat too much get ill and die early. Fat people who eat too much including large amounts of poor quality foods including those with lots of salt, hydrogenated oils, nitrates, and poor quality sources of protein and fat get sick and die fractionally earlier than those who don't eat quite as much of them.

    The real story is that being fat and eating crap is bad for your health.

    But we all knew that already, didn't we?
  • watcheronthewall
    watcheronthewall Posts: 104
    I've just seen a report on the BBC basically telling us not to eat any processed meat at all.

    we know that sliced ham, bacon rashers and the like are 'processed' but the report showed pictures (but no reference) no meat pies, pasties & even a 'ready meal' lasagne

    does anyone know how we can tell if meat has been 'processed'? and what that means?

    BTW, the report was from a cancer research lab who've tested 500,000 people and are suggesting a direct link between over intake of processed meat and bowel cancer.

    .... bacon isn't processed it's a cut of meat lol

    They specifically mentioned bacon.
  • jadelyndsey
    jadelyndsey Posts: 150 Member
    I've just seen a report on the BBC basically telling us not to eat any processed meat at all.

    we know that sliced ham, bacon rashers and the like are 'processed' but the report showed pictures (but no reference) no meat pies, pasties & even a 'ready meal' lasagne

    does anyone know how we can tell if meat has been 'processed'? and what that means?

    BTW, the report was from a cancer research lab who've tested 500,000 people and are suggesting a direct link between over intake of processed meat and bowel cancer.

    What the report didn't tell you is that out of those 500,000 people, about 9/10 of them had an all round bad lifestyle in terms of food and other non-healthy factors like lack of exercise, smoking, etc. Many of these people ate a diet of mainly fatty foods and alcoholic beverages which in my eyes would be the actual cause of bowel disease, not eating one too many slices of ham in your sandwich.
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    processed meat is when it's been processed IE it's been taken from lol... "bumholes and hoofs" and various cuts, ground down, and reformed usually with additives to make it hold more water, fat and salt

    bacon is a cut of meat, i'm not saying smoking bacon doesn't have the same results (personally i only eat unsmoked bacon anyway) but it is not processed

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_cut
    Bacon is cured (a form of processing) pork. It's not a particular cut of the animal.

    i have no idea what bacon you eat but i eat BACK bacon, it's not cured at all and if it was you'd be able to eat it raw... which you can't
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    processed meat is when it's been processed IE it's been taken from lol... "bumholes and hoofs" and various cuts, ground down, and reformed usually with additives to make it hold more water, fat and salt

    bacon is a cut of meat, i'm not saying smoking bacon doesn't have the same results (personally i only eat unsmoked bacon anyway) but it is not processed

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_cut
    Bacon is cured (a form of processing) pork. It's not a particular cut of the animal.

    i have no idea what bacon you eat but i eat BACK bacon, it's not cured at all and if it was you'd be able to eat it raw... which you can't

    Back bacon is cured. All bacon is cured, back or streaky. You can only not eat it raw because it hasn't been cured for that long, however, it does keep significantly longer than uncured pork. The salting process IS curing. I have made bacon, I used to work in a smokery.

    The part of the pig from which back bacon is made is the loin (not the tenderloin, that is different). Uncured it is called 'loin of pork' with the bone still attached it is called 'pork chop'.

    Pork leg, cured is called ham.

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