Written By: Upneet Pansare | Updated : September 11, 2018 2:32 PM IST
Do you have processed meat regularly? © Shutterstock
Bipolar disease, manic disorders, cancer, hypertension -- even a small amount of processed and cured meat can cause these dangerous diseases, according to several research studies. Processed meat including hot dogs, ham, bacon, sausage is meat that has been treated in some way to preserve or flavour it by salting, curing, fermenting, and smoking. Recently, researchers from the John Hopkins School of Medicine established a link mania and bacon and other cured meat consumption. But bacon, hot dogs, salami and other cured and processed meat can put you at risk of several other diseases too:
1) Colorectal cancer: The cancer agency of the World Health Organisation, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified processed meat as a carcinogen. According to WHO, 50g of processed meat a day - less than two slices of bacon - increased the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18 per cent. Kurt Straif from the WHO explained that the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed. This is because nitrites and nitrates are often added during meat processing as a preservative. These compounds could be converted into cancer-causing chemicals in the body.
2) Heart disease: Scientific research has found a link between an allergen found in red meat like bacon and ham, and the build-up of fats that block the heart arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. The saturated fats found in red meat like salami, too, are one of the major causes of heart disease.
3) Low sperm count: Cured meat like bacon stimulate the fat cells in the body to convert testosterone to estradiol (which is like estrogen) which hurts sperm production. That's why men who eat processed meat, like pepperoni and bacon, regularly have lower sperm counts than those who eat them sparingly.
4) Liver disease: Processed meat contains a dangerously high amount of salt. This leads to fluid retention in the body and causes it to swell leading to liver diseases.
5) Late puberty: A research that was presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Dublin, Ireland, says that consuming excess dietary salt, commonly found in processed meat, may result in late onset of puberty that can lead to behavioural problems, stress and reduced fertility.
6) High blood pressure and diabetes: Phosphates found in cured meats could be responsible for high blood pressure and heart disease. Excessive amounts of phosphates produce a hormone called FGF23 in the bones which puts strain on the heart and can lead to high blood pressure. Excess sodium in cured meats can also have a negative impact on your blood sugar levels leading to diabetes.
