One (bad) Sausage A Day....

[Guest guest]

From Dr Mercola....(from his article " 7 Foods To Avoid " )...

Processed meats, such as hot dogs, deli meats, bacon, and pepperoni contain

dangerous compounds, which put them squarely on the list of foods to avoid or

eliminate entirely. These compounds include:

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs): a potent carcinogen, which is created when meat or

fish is cooked at high temperatures.

Sodium nitrite: a commonly used preservative and antimicrobial agent that also

adds color and flavor to processed and cured meats.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Many processed meats are smoked as part

of the curing process, which causes PAHs to form.

Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When food is cooked at high

temperatures—including when it is pasteurized or sterilized—it increases the

formation of AGEs in your food. AGEs build up in your body over time leading to

oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes

and kidney disease.

This recommendation is backed up by a recent report commissioned by The World

Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). The review, which evaluated the findings of more

than 7,000 clinical studies, was funded by money raised from the general public,

so the findings were not influenced by vested interests. It's also the biggest

review of the evidence ever undertaken, and it confirms previous findings:

Processed meats increase your risk of cancer, especially bowel cancer, and NO

amount of processed meat is " safe. "

A previous analysis by the WCRF found that eating just one sausage a day raises

your risk of developing bowel cancer by 20 percent, and other studies have found

that processed meats increase your risk of:

Colon cancer by 50 percent

Bladder cancer by 59 percent

Stomach cancer by 38 percent

Pancreatic cancer by 67 percent

Processed meats may also increase your risk of diabetes by 50 percent, and lower

your lung function and increase your risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease (COPD). If you absolutely want or need a hot dog or other processed

meats once in awhile, you can reduce your risk by:

Looking for " uncured " varieties that contain NO nitrates

Choosing varieties that say 100% beef, 100% chicken, etc. This is the only way

to know that the meat is from a single species and does not include byproducts

(like chicken skin or chicken fat or other parts)

Avoiding any meat that contains MSG, high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives,

artificial flavor or artificial color

Ideally, purchase sausages and other processed meats from a small, local farmer

who can tell you exactly what's in their products