The debate about the health risks of eating red meat still continues. Despite the announcement released by the World Health Organization regarding the harm that can be brought about by including red meat in our daily diet, meat lovers still continue to reason out.
After receiving many queries and different reactions from consumers including health professionals, the WHO are clarifying their initial statement. The specialized agency revealed that eating red meat including processed meat can cause colorectal cancer but they did not asked the people to stop consuming meat.
Their notice was only intended to offer awareness to people in order for them to reduce the amount of red meat and processed meat they consume. Individuals who consume more than 90 grams of cooked meat are advised to reduce their intake to 70 grams to lessen the risk of having colorectal cancer.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association director of communications John Robinson clarified the said claims.
"They are clarifying their first statement after receiving a number of queries and concerns and they are clarifying what the IARC's role is in all this."
The WHO is not taking back their initial statement by is only interpreting its meaning. The agency's International Agency for Research on Cancer recently announced that red and processed meat are human carcinogens and are bad for health.
Meats under Group 1 classification which include processed meat that underwent preservation methods such as smoking, curing, fermentation, salting and other processes that alter it not just to add flavor but also to improve its shelf life.
According to the IARC which is an independent cancer agency that functions under the support of the WHO, meat under Group 1 classification are like tobacco and asbestos. But they also clarified that not all the contents and substances of the meat under the said group are equally dangerous.
