PSA: Processed Meats Are ‘Carcinogenic’ And Could Be Worse Than Smoking

Stop the bacon! Heartbreaking news overnight has confirmed that processed meat could be worse for you than smoking, according to The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

While The Daily Mail will claim almost anything causes cancer, from  deodorant, oral sex and even Facebook, it seems this latest research from WHO has a bit more meat to it.

How could something so perfect be so bad for you?

The study conducted by 22 experts in 10 different countries found that just 50 grams a day (the equivalent of approximately one snag or two slices of ham) can increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 per cent. That’s a fair whack.

The research suggests that our current rate of consumption results in 21 per cent of bowel cancers and 3 per cent of all cancers, which Governments need to factor in to a regulatory balance. That’s compared to smoking which according to news.com.au, causes 86 per cent of lung cancers and 19 per cent of all others.

The news is likely to have smug vegos all like:

But, before you start hating on meat, there are obviously MASSIVE health benefits from eating it, like much needed vitamins such as iron that our bodies have required to evolve over the last million or so years.  The IARC believe Governments need to strike a balance to help reduce the potential fallout on the hospital system.

Looks like we might opt for some muesli today.

*Updated: We apologise for an earlier version of this article that was published this morning.  Recent changes reflect the editors corrections.