There is no safe amount of processed meat to eat, according to new research

10 pointsposted 18 hours ago
by gnabgib

10 Comments

amanaplanacanal

18 hours ago

> It’s also important to note that the studies included in the analysis were observational, meaning that the data can only show an association between eating habits and disease –– not prove that what people ate caused the disease.

Just a reminder.

sublinear

17 hours ago

I can't think of a faster way to erode trust than saying "there is no safe amount" of something everyone consumes with no significant health impact on the vast majority of people.

bell-cot

18 hours ago

> processed meat –– such as sausages, bacon, salami and burgers

I can't recall seeing burgers classified as a "processed meat" before.

From a skim on Wikipedia, I'll guess the issue is packaged burger meat, which was dosed with preservatives to improve its shelf life.

Anyone more familiar?

paulddraper

18 hours ago

Burgers are definitely processed.

bell-cot

17 hours ago

For health risk purposes, is the distinction simply mechanical?

So I could cut a raw chuck roast in half, mince one half with my knife and cutting board, cook both halves - and the minced half would be far less healthy for me to eat?

TimedToasts

14 hours ago

What about Salisbury Steak or other cuts that need extensive work to be consumable? One could argue mechanical processes allow lower quality meat to be used as a primary source (for some)?

I don't really buy the idea that mechanical processes = the Processed Food that I was thinking of. But I do think some sins can be hidden in ways a household would never try.

paulddraper

10 hours ago

Hamburger combines meat from many animals. This increases risk of mad cow disease, and makes it riskier to undercook the meat in general.

Different, lower “quality” parts of the animal are used.

Also, because the meat has risks, it is often treated with preservatives.

DemocracyFTW2

16 hours ago

As a layman I'd say that's not wrong: consider the difference between whole oats and finely ground porridge: the latter is bound to taste sweeter and digestion does not have to break down as many chunks, so the body has to do less work.