On Monday, the World Health Organization released a report saying processed meats are in the same category as asbestos, diesel fumes and cigarettes as cancer-causing.
According to BBC, processed meat is one that has been modified to either change its taste or extend its shelf life. The former case can be through curing, smoking or adding preservatives and salt.
Putting a beef through a mincer is not "processing" the beef until it is further modified. Samples of processed meats are hot dogs, corned beef, ham, bacon, beef jerky, salami, sausages, meat-based sauces and canned meat.
WHO's report revealed that even two slices of processed meat, like bacon, can increase the colorectal or bowel cancer risk by 18 percent. About 34,000 cancer deaths yearly have been attributed by the report to too-high-in-processed-meat diets.
WHO said that while processed meat, cigarettes and alcohol are now in the same category, it does not mean their level of danger is equal, reported CNN.
"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," Dr. Kurt Straif of WHO said.
The report from WHO came not long after Clear Food revealed that 10 percent of vegetarian hot dogs have meat, which is unfortunate for vegetarians as well.
WHO's report is in line with the International Agency for Research on Cancer which ruled that a processed meat is a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning cancer-causing.
The research found that red meat is a possible carcinogen linked to colorectal, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
According to CTV News, it is noteworthy that the research was thorough and not small. More than 800 global studies about meat consumption were considered. It involved 22 scientists from 10 countries evaluating past research together, and considered dozens of types of cancer as well as factoring cultural diet differences.
Their conclusion - there is enough evidence that processed meats are linked to cancer. Those who eat more processed meat have higher risks.
