Destination KSA - Your Guide to Saudi

Destination KSA - Your Guide to Saudi
Healthy Living

Does Red Meat Cause Cancer?

By Massa Bitar

Share

facebook linkedin telegram whatsapp

If you’re visiting the butchers soon, pause and read this first.. On Oct. 26 last year, a new report, published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, concluded after a review of the over 800 accumulated scientific literature, that red meat should be classified […]"

Does Red Meat Cause Cancer?

If you’re visiting the butchers soon, pause and read this first..

On Oct. 26 last year, a new report, published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, concluded after a review of the over 800 accumulated scientific literature, that red meat should be classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” and processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans.”

According to the report, the risk in both is highest for colorectal cancer. Each 50-gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent. The report places processed meat as a serious cause of cancer along with asbestos, alcohol, arsenic and tobacco.

REPORT EXPLANATION

Red Meat: All types of mammalian muscle meat such as beef, veal, lamb, mutton, horse and goat.

Processed Meat: Meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation, such as hot dogs, sausages, corned beef and biltong or beef jerky as well as canned meat and meat-based preparation sauces.

How Does Processed Meat Cause Cancer? (Theories)

So, as you see, the issue is not the quality and source of red meat, but its natural composition and the processing it undergoes.

Should You Stop Consuming Meat?
IARC did not make dietary recommendations. However, in response to the report, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consumers to “vary their daily protein choices by including lean meats, poultry and fish along with plants sources like beans, legumes, nuts and seeds and to limit consumption of processed meats like hot dogs.”

Although red meat has its nutritional value (it is a good source of the highly absorbable iron, zinc and vitamin B12), if your red and processed meats consumption is high, it would be wise to start cutting down on them… at least until new research is released.


Share

facebook linkedin telegram whatsapp

Keep Exploring

Saudi Arabia Secures Hosting the 2026 FEI World Championships in Al Ula

By Mohammed AlMahdaly

Ring of Fire: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk in a Historic Showdown

By Haneen.Sh

Explore Culture At Al-Suwaidi Park

By Haneen.Sh

Epicon: NEOM Unveils its Luxurious Coastal Destination

By Haneen.Sh

Experience Enchantment at Disney: The Castle, Riyadh Season 2023

By Haneen.Sh

Get Ready: Tickets for Saudi Games 2023 Available Now

By Haneen.Sh

Discover ROKA Riyadh’s New Family-Friendly Brunch Experience

By Haneen.Sh

All You Need To Know About Riyadh Season’s Wonder Garden

By Haneen.Sh

Riyadh Zoo 2023 is Back For its Second Edition

By Haneen.Sh

BLVD Forest: an Interactive Setting to Delve into Natural Wonders and Encounter Rare Wildlife

By Mohammed AlMahdaly

Invisibilia Experience: Contemplative Spaces and Interactive Challenges in Boulevard City

By Mohammed AlMahdaly

Luxury Retreat at Rosewood Jeddah

By Haneen.Sh

SEF Unveils Riyadh 2023 Global Esports Games With Full Competition Details

By Haneen.Sh

Musafir.com Starts Operations in KSA Addressing Growing Travel Demand

By Haneen.Sh

Jeddah United Secures Gold Again

By Destination KSA Staff

GCC States Announces Unified Tourist Visa

By Destination