All meat is not created equal in terms of its impact on health. Some red meats are worse than others, and, contrary to common wisdom, poultry is not always a good choice.
Several studies from the Harvard School of Public Health have analyzed earlier research that tracked, more than 1.5 million people, and found that processed meats are the most deadly. These include all types of luncheon or deli meats, including salami, pastrami, bologna, ham, chicken and turkey slices, pepperoni, cured bacon (unless bacon is labeled “uncured,” it’s always cured), hot dogs, and sausages.
Processed are heavily salted and preserved with synthetic nitrates and/or nitrites. According to one Harvard study, their salt content is at least four times that of fresh meat.
Researchers believe it is the extra salt and chemical preservatives in combination that pose danger in processed meats. Among people who eat such meats on a regular basis, studies found:
• Eating one hot dog, or one sausage, or two slices of cured bacon, or one to two slices of luncheon or deli meat (about 1.8 ounces) on a daily basis increases risk for heart disease by 42 percent and risk for diabetes by 51 percent.
• Processed meats increase risk for bladder and colorectal cancers.
Red Meat Pitfalls
Some studies have found that fresh (unprocessed) red meats, including beef, pork, and lamb, also increase risk for heart disease and diabetes. One Harvard study analyzed 26 years of data on more than 84,000 women, and the researchers believe the results would also apply to men. They found that replacing one daily serving of red meat with a healthier protein from the following list reduced the risk for heart disease:
• Nuts reduced risk by 30 percent
• Fish lowered it by 24 percent
• Poultry cut it by 19 percent
• Low-fat dairy products lowered it by 13 percent
In these studies, people ate conventional, corn-fed beef as one of the red meats. Grass-fed beef (Go Here Now) is recognized as a healthier type of beef.
Processed Meat Alternatives
Processed meats most often find their way into sandwiches, but it’s not too difficult to replace them with healthier ingredients. Here are some examples:
• Thinly sliced roasted chicken or turkey breast with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and/or cucumber on a whole-grain roll
• Leftover grilled fish, shredded carrots, and sprouts with a touch of your favorite dressing in whole-grain pita bread
• Peanut butter and apple slices on whole-grain bread
Pizza toppings such as pepperoni and sausage are other popular ways to eat processed meats. If these are among your favorites, consider other toppings with a strong flavor, such as parmesan or feta cheese, jalapeno peppers, olives, or capers.
When you think about it, it's not that simple to avoid processed meats. But there is one other option: Natural supermarkets carry “uncured” versions of bacon, hot dogs, sausages and many luncheon and deli meats, and some supermarkets are starting to do the same. Look for the lowest-sodium products.
If there’s no natural supermarket in your area, request some uncured options in the stores where you usually shop. Applegate (applegatefarms.com) is one brand of uncured, packaged deli slices, hot dogs, bacon, and sausage. Online, Uncured Natural Meats (uncurednaturalmeats.com) offers a variety of sausages.
At first, it may take a bit of extra effort to find healthier alternatives. But avoiding processed meats can, in the long run, make a big difference in your health.
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