What you should know about processed meat

This is an automatically translated article.

Processed meat can be considered any meat that has been modified - such as smoked, salted, sun-dried... People who eat a lot of these meats are more likely to get heart disease, diabetes, even Some types of cancer contain a lot of salt, fat and preservatives.

1. What is processed meat?

As defined by the World Health Organization: “Processed meat is meat that has been modified through salting, fermentation, smoking or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but processed meat can also contain other types of red meat, poultry, offal or accompanying meat components such as blood. Examples of processed meats include hot dogs, ham, corned beef, or beef jerky as well as canned processed meats, meat preparations, and sauces. "

2. Some types of processed meat

2.1 Bacon The fat in the bacon will melt right into the pan as you cook it. But not all bacon is the same. Look for meats that are cut into thinner slices and are lower in salt and nitrates - some even use none at all.
2.2 Cold Cuts Beef, ham, and chicken are added with various salts, spices, sugar and sometimes chemicals, and then cut into slices to make bread or snacks. Check ingredients before serving - some deli meats may not be as bad for you as other processed meats.
2.3 Sausage Sausage is the most popular processed meat at baseball games and neighborhood cookouts. Some brands may use more meat to make hot dogs, but most sausages are still high in salt, saturated fat, and nitrates.
2.4 Fried Chicken Balls Fried chicken nuggets are processed meats commonly found in fast food joints, where they are often prepared with whole chicken, along with bones, blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. , fat and skin. If you buy home-cooked chicken, you can get rid of the stuff you don't want and fry the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
2.5 Beef jerky This is the perfect meat snack when traveling: seasoned, dried meat that you easily slip into your pocket. The difference in quality of beef jerky can be seen as cheaper and mass-produced meat may have added sugar along with fat and salt. However, high-quality beef jerky is still processed meat, so don't overdo it.
2.6 Pepperoni Pepperoni is a favorite topping for pizza, but it's one of those processed meats that have all the usual added ingredients like salt and fat. , sugar and preservatives. To ferment the sausage, you let the raw meat ferment on its own in the wrapper, which gives it its aromatic flavor and chewier texture.
2.7 Breakfast Sausage (Breakfast Sausage) If the sausage is prepackaged you can see the amount of oil surrounding the sausage and when it tastes like salt it means it's not healthy your health. However, it sure looks delicious next to fried eggs. If you want to eat this type, check the ingredients carefully for the amount of salt and preservatives. You should try using chicken or sausage as a substitute that has less fat.

2.8 Pancetta Pancetta is pork from the belly and seasoned with salt. Unlike bacon, pancetta is not smoked during processing and this is a plus because smoked meat has been linked to several types of cancer. Pancetta is sold mainly in specialty stores and usually has fewer preservatives. But it's still high in fat, calories and of course salt, so it's best to prepare pancetta with any additives at all.
2.9 Hamburger Ground beef used in hamburgers in fast food restaurants often contains growth hormones, antibiotics, and salt, fat, and preservatives. You're better off making your own hamburger at home with good quality lean beef or ground chicken.
2.10 Ground Meat You can make this with a food processor at home - with some cooked meat, mustard, mayo, sauce, and onions. This is certainly better and tastier than supermarket canned processed meat - which is often loaded with salt and preservatives like sodium nitrate - a chemical that can make you more susceptible to heart disease or diabetes.
2.11 Sausage Balls Sausage balls are made from "mechanically separated chicken" - which means the bones are removed by machine and all the rest of the chicken is used - along with a small amount of meat pork or beef. All are ground to a fine paste and processed into small sausages, which are ready to use as soon as the packaging is opened.
2.12 Canned Salted Beef Frying minced beef (usually the brisket that has been salted and simmered) with some onions and potatoes can be made into salt beef. To preserve it, put it in a box. Accordingly, for a healthier meal, make your own with chicken.

2. Eating processed meat is not healthy

Processed meat is a very unhealthy food, a fact that health-conscious people have been aware of for decades. Therefore, eating more processed meat is more common among people with unhealthy lifestyle habits. For example, smoking is more common among people who eat a lot of processed meat or their consumption of fruits and vegetables is also much lower.
Studies consistently find a strong link between processed meat consumption and various chronic diseases. Processed meat contains harmful chemical compounds that can increase the risk of chronic disease. Such as:
Hypertension . Heart disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Colorectal and stomach cancer. The World Health Organization has determined that processed meat is a major cause of colorectal cancer, classifying it as a “human carcinogen.” Just one sausage or a few pieces of bacon consumed daily increases the risk of cancer by 18%.

3. How much processed meat should you eat?

For many years, experts have recommended avoiding or at least limiting the consumption of processed and canned meat. Research shows that eating 150 grams or more of processed meat per week increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 46 percent and the risk of death by 50 percent, compared with not eating processed meat. To give you an idea, 150g of processed meat equates to approximately:
Five slices of bacon Less than two sausages Five slices of cold cuts (1/8-inch thick) Processed meat is high in chemicals According to different studies are not healthy, eating a lot of processed meat products for a long time can increase the risk of chronic diseases, especially cancer. However, you can still eat small amounts from time to time to change the taste, just make sure that processed meat doesn't make up the bulk of your diet and avoid eating it every day.
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