Types of processed meats and the disadvantages of each
Consuming some processed meats can harm your health and cause disorders and diseases in your body. In this article, we point out the types of these meats and the harm of each one to your body.
Processed meat is generally considered unhealthy. Because it has been linked to diseases such as cancer and heart disease in numerous studies.
There is no doubt that meat processing contains many harmful chemicals that are not naturally present in fresh meat. This article takes a close look at the effects of processed meat on health.
What is processed meat?
Processed meat is meat that is preserved and cared for by salting, smoking, drying or canned.
Food products classified as processed meat are:
Fried sausage, hot dog, sausage.
Bacon, ham.
Salted and processed meat, salted beef.
smoked meat
Dried meat, sun-dried beef.
Meat in canned food.
On the other hand, meat that has been frozen or has undergone mechanical processing such as cutting and dicing is still considered unprocessed.
Eating processed meat is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle
Processed meat consumption is consistently associated with adverse health effects.
For this reason, eating large amounts of processed meat is more common among people with unhealthy lifestyle habits.
In fact, smoking is more common among those who eat a lot of processed meat. And the consumption of fruits and vegetables is also much lower in them.
Most observational studies on processed meat and health attempt to correct for these factors. However, these methods are never perfect.
Links between processed meat and disease have been found, partly due to the fact that people who eat processed meat tend to do other unhealthy things as well.
However, studies consistently find a strong link between processed meat consumption and various chronic diseases.
Processed meat is associated with chronic disease
Eating processed meat is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases, including:
High blood pressure (hypertension).
Heart disease.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Stomach and colon cancer.
Studies on processed meat consumption in humans have all been observed in nature.
They can show that people who eat processed meat are more likely to get these diseases, but they can’t prove that processed meat is the cause.
However, the evidence is compelling because the relationships are strong and consistent.
In addition, all these studies are supported in animals. For example, studies in mice show that eating processed meat increases the risk of colon cancer.
One thing is clear, processed meat contains harmful chemical compounds that may increase the risk of chronic diseases. The most widely studied compounds are discussed here.
Nitrite, N-Nitroso compounds and nitrosamines
N-nitroso compounds are carcinogenic substances that are thought to be responsible for some of the side effects of consuming processed meat.
They consist of nitrite (sodium nitrite) added to processed meat products.
Sodium nitrite is used as an additive for 3 reasons:
To preserve the red or pink color of the meat.
To improve flavor by suppressing fat oxidation.
To prevent bacterial growth, improve taste and reduce the risk of food poisoning.
Nitrite and related compounds, such as nitrate, are also found in other foods. For example, nitrates are found in relatively high levels in some vegetables, which may even be beneficial to health.
However, not all nitrites are the same. Nitrite in processed meat can be converted to harmful N-nitroso compounds, which in turn are nitrosamines with extensive studies.
Processed meat is a major dietary source of nitrosamines. Other sources are contaminated drinking water, tobacco smoke and sour and salty foods.
Nitrosamines are formed primarily when processed meat products are exposed to high heat (above 266°F or 130°C), such as frying bacon or grilling sausages.
Animal studies suggest that nitrosamines may play a major role in colon cancer formation.
Observational studies in humans suggest that nitrosamines may increase the risk of colon and stomach cancer.
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Smoked meat is one of the oldest methods of preservation, often used in combination with soda salt or drying.
This causes the formation of various potentially harmful substances. This includes aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
PAHs are a large class derived from the burning of organic matter.
They are carried in the air by smoke and accumulate on the surface of smoked meat products, grilled, grilled, fried or roasted meat on open fire.
They can consist of:
Burning wood or charcoal.
Fat dripping onto a scalding hot surface.
Burned or burnt meat.
For this reason, smoked meat products can be high in PAHs.
It is believed that PAHs may contribute to some of the ill health effects of processed meat.
Numerous animal studies have shown that some PAHs can cause cancer.
Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs)
Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are a group of chemical compounds that are formed when meat or fish are cooked at high temperatures, such as frying or grilling.
They are not limited to processed meat and are found in significant amounts in sausages, bacon fried in oil and hamburger meat.
HCAs cause cancer when given to animals in high amounts. In general, this amount is much higher than the usual amount in the human diet.
However, several observational studies in humans show that eating processed meat increases the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancer.
You can minimize the level of HCAs by using gentle cooking methods, such as frying under low heat and steaming. Avoid eating black and burnt meat.
salt
Processed meat products are usually high in sodium chloride, also known as salt.
For thousands of years, salt has been added to food as a preservative. However, it often improves the taste of food.
Eating too much salt may play a role in high blood pressure and heart disease, especially in those with a condition called salt-sensitive hypertension.
In addition, a few observational studies suggest that a high-salt diet may increase the risk of stomach cancer.
Studies show that a high-salt diet may increase the growth of Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers, an important risk factor for stomach cancer.
Adding some salt to whole foods is fine to improve flavor, but eating too much of well-processed foods can be harmful.
tip
Processed meat contains various chemical compounds that are not naturally present in fresh meat. Many of these compounds are harmful to health.
For this reason, eating large amounts of processed meat products over a long period of time (years or decades) may increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, especially cancer.
At the end of the day, you should limit your intake of processed foods and base your diet on fresh foods.
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