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 Meat and bowel cancer – your questions answered |
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 Our Expert Report made headlines around the world for its recommendation that people should avoid eating processed meat for cancer prevention.
But does processed meat cause cancer? And what do we mean by processed meat? To mark the start of Bowel cancer Awareness Month, Lisa Cooney, Head of Education for WCRF UK, looks at the science behind the headlines. For more information, click here to download our leaflet on the link between meat and bowel cancer.
 What does the evidence say?
What is red meat?
What is processed meat?
Do I have to give up processed meat completely to make a difference?
What small changes can I make?
What does the evidence say?
 Last year we published our Expert Report, which analysed 7,000 studies on the link between lifestyle and cancer risk and then made 10 recommendations on how to reduce cancer risk.
The report found convincing evidence that red meat and processed meat are a cause of bowel cancer. Because of this, we recommend people limit consumption of red meat to 500g per week (cooked weight) and to avoid eating processed meat. To download our publication on how to reduce your bowel cancer risk through lifestyle choices and about the link between bowel cancer and meat, click here to download our bowel cancer leaflet.
What is red meat?
Red meat refers to beef, pork, lamb and goat – foods like hamburgers, minced beef, pork chops and roast lamb.
To give you an idea about the cooked weight of red meat, a medium portion of roast beef is about 90g, while a medium steak is 145g and a pork chop is about 75g.
What is processed meat?
 Processed meat is any type of meat that is preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by adding preservatives. Examples of this are ham, bacon, pastrami and salami. Hamburgers and minced meats only count as processed meat if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives.
 Do I have to give up processed meat completely to make a difference?
No. While the best advice is to avoid processed meat completely, but you can still make a real difference to your cancer risk by cutting down. Any step in the right direction is worth doing.
What small changes can I make?
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If you do eat red meat, always opt for the leanest meat available and trim off any visible fat before cooking. |
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Fish, low-fat poultry and plant sources of protein such as beans and lentils are great alternatives to red meat. Why not try our recipe for chicken and turkey lasagne. |
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Why not make every other evening meal red meat free. |
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If you’re making a dish using minced meat, try halving the quantity of meat and adding beans or pulses instead. They are inexpensive, nutritious and tasty. |
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Try a chicken or tuna sandwich instead of a BLT. |
Click here for more healthy recipe ideas.
Return to Cancer prevention |
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WCRF UK, 19 Harley Street, London W1G 9QJ - Tel: 020 7343 4200 - Fax: 020 7343 4201 - wcrf@wcrf.org
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