Processed Meats
What would fall under “processed meats”? Items like lunch meats, hot dogs, and even bacon are bad for your health for more reasons than fat and cholesterol. Even when you opt for low-fat or reduced salt versions, you are consuming overly processed additives like nitrates. The American Cancer Society has stated that there is no evidence that increased fat intake is linked with cancer, but there is no denying that eating nitrates, salt, and other additives in processed meats does elevate your risk.
A journal from BMC Medicine published a research article that studied the effects of excessive salt and chemicals that are used when processing deli meats (Micha, R. et al, 2013). The study found that 1 in every 17 people in the study group died, while those who ate around 160 grams or more of processed meats increased the chance of premature death by 44% within 12 years (Micha, R. et al, 2013). The study lasted 13 years.
