A Cancer Study that's Epic

A good European cancer study called EPIC is yielding useful information about the link between diet and cancer. Among the findings so far, eating red meat and processed meat (like cold cuts, hot dogs, sausage, bacon and ham) leads to increased risk of stomach and espohageal cancer, while eating more fruits and vegetables lowers breast cancer risk.

Why does red meat increase cancer risk? Here's an article that tries to answer this question.

This is what's recommended:

[Limit] red meat consumption to three ounces a day or less. Choose poultry and stew it or bake it to avoid HCA formation. Prepare fish two times a week since studies show it offers protective benefits, apparently through its special omega-3 fat. Since none of the risks connected with red meat apply to plant-based dishes, make meatless entrées with beans, nuts, or seeds for protein.

What about processed meats? They seem to increase cancer risk even more than fresh red meat. Here's the reason why this may be.

So, it seems that it is best to limit red meat consumption to 3 ounces a day or less of lean meat and to avoid processed meats as much as possible. The focus should be on eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans.

If you don't have time to read all the above articles for all the details, here's a quick overview from this Q&A:

Q: Aren't only processed meats like sausage and hot dogs linked to cancer risk?

A: No. The large, ongoing EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study has analyzed the effect of red meat and processed red meats separately. People who ate the most fresh red meat (more than 2.8 ounces a day) had a 17 percent greater risk of colon cancer than those who ate the least. The same amount of processed red meats caused an even greater increase in risk. Sodium and nitrites or nitrates may make processed meats a greater cancer concern. Fresh red meat, however, may damage the DNA of colon cells and increase the formation of certain cancer-causing compounds within the gut. If you want to eat red meat, you should choose lean cuts and cook them at moderate temperatures. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) also recommends that you limit your consumption of red meat to three ounces a day. By filling most of your plate with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans - that are full of nutrients and good flavor - you will easily feel satisfied with a small amount of meat.

Q: Why are there stricter limits on eating red meat?

A: AICR recommends limiting your consumption of red meat to no more than three ounces a day because greater amounts of it are linked to an increased cancer risk. Red meat includes beef, lamb, pork and veal. The difference in risk between red and white meat seems to involve a specific protein that is more abundant in red meat.