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May 2, 2013 • Healthy Eating & Nutrition

Processed Meat – The Worst Meat to Eat

Processed meats repeatedly rear their unhealthy heads in scientific circles and, a mammoth new evaluation (over half a million adults) echoed former findings linking processed meats to poorer health. In this new study, the more processed meats consumed, the greater the risk of premature death from heart disease, strokes, and cancer. Risks were apparent with intakes as low as 21 grams of processed meat per day (about the size of a strip of bacon).

For those who enjoy eating meat, you will be pleased to know that consuming small amounts of unprocessed red meats appeared to be beneficial.

My best advice: limit red meat to two servings or less a week and avoid processed meats (bacon, sausage, bologna, ham, salami, pastrami, etc.). (BMC Medicine, 11(1) 2013)