Eating too much red and processed meat can increase your risk of cancer.
Lean red meat is a good source of iron, zinc, Vitamin B12 and protein and can be included in moderation as part of a healthy diet. However, it is important not to eat too much. Red meat includes foods such as beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, venison and goat.
We should try to avoid processed meat such as frankfurts, salami, bacon, ham, jerky, devon, chorizo and corned beef. Processed meats are high in energy (kilojoules), saturated fat and sodium and they don’t provide us with the essential nutrients our bodies need.
The World Health Organization has classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen (known to cause cancer) which means that there’s strong evidence that processed meats cause cancer. Eating processed meat increases your risk of bowel and stomach cancer. Red meat, such as beef, lamb and pork, has been classified as a Group 2A carcinogen which means it probably causes cancer.
Avoid consuming processed meat.
Eat no more than 455g cooked (or 700g raw) red meat per week.
A serve of red meat is equal to 90–100 g raw or 65 g cooked:
½ cup lean raw mince
1 lamb loin chop
½ cup diced raw meat
This means, you could have a small serve of red meat every day or 2 serves across 3–4 meals a week.
Eating too much red meat increases the risk of bowel cancer. When a chemical in red meat called haem is broken down in the gut, N-nitroso chemicals are formed which have been found to damage the cells that line the bowel, which can lead to bowel cancer. Cancer-causing chemicals are also formed when red meat is charred or burnt.
We know that eating processed meat increases our risk of cancer. Processed meats contain certain chemicals both added and naturally occurring that are carcinogenic. N-nitroso chemicals are also formed when processed meat is digested which can lead to bowel cancer. In addition the nitrite and nitrate preservatives in processed meat also produce N-nitroso chemicals.
Reducing meat consumption allows you to increase your vegetable, legume and wholegrain intake which helps you eat more fibre. Eating a diet high in fibre can help reduce your risk of bowel cancer.
For example:
Replace ham on a sandwich with BBQ chicken (with skin removed), cheese or tuna.
Swap bacon at breakfast with haloumi or baked beans.
Switch out pepperoni on pizza for chicken, beef mince or prawns.
Read our healthy alternatives to ham blog for more ideas.
Reduce the amount of meat in mince dishes such as bolognaise, burrito mixture, meatballs and shepherd’s pie and bulk up the recipe with vegetables such as chopped mushrooms, grated zucchini, carrots, lentils or kidney beans.
Reduce the amount of meat in stews and curries and bulk up the dish with vegetables and legumes such as carrots, corn, lentils and chickpeas.
For example:
Use fish, tofu or chicken in curries and casseroles.
Try chicken skewers as an option for a barbecue.
Create pasta dishes using prawns, chicken mince or turkey mince.
© Cancer Council NSW 2024 Head Office Address: 153 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. Cancer Council NSW is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as an Income Tax Exempt Charity: Charitable Fundraising Authority No. 18521.
Some images on this site have been supplied by Cancer Council Western Australia's Crunch & Sip website
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