Lunch Meats and Cancer Risk: What You Need to Know
Processed meats are everywhere – on breakfast plates, in lunchboxes, at backyard cookouts, and tucked into charcuterie boards. Think bacon and eggs, hot dogs, deli turkey sandwiches, pepperoni pizza, sausage and pancakes – they’re convenient, tasty, and deeply woven into our food culture. But there’s a growing body of research showing that processed meats can come with a serious health risk, an increased risk of cancer, especially colon cancer. If you’re trying to eat healthier or you want to reduce your cancer risk, understanding why processed meats are linked to cancer—and how to make smarter choices—can lower your risk. 🥓 What Counts as Processed Meat? According to MD Anderson Cancer Center , meat is considered processed if it has been smoked, cured, salted, seasoned, or preserved with chemical additives . That includes: Bacon Sausage and bratwurst Hot dogs Deli meats and lunch meats Ham Pepperoni and salami Corned beef Jerky Even brea...
