RIYADH: There’s a great risk of contracting cancer by eating 50 grams of processed meat daily, according to an assistant professor of nutrition at King Saud University (KSU).
"Eating 50 grams of processed meat daily increases the risk of having cancer by 18 percent,” said Dr. Ghadir Al-Shammari.
Quoting a report of the World Health Organization (WHO), he said processed meat, like sausage and hamburgers, contains ingredients that make it tasty but have adverse side effects.
He said that the report also mentioned red meat as a possible cause of cancer if treated with chemicals and salt to enhance its taste.
“A committee of experts from 22 states said that unprocessed red meat of sheep and goats might cause cancer if processed. But the level of scientific proof for their claim was not substantiated,” he said.
He added that meat is an important food for human health as it provides the body with nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals.
However, he added that in the Gulf region, the issue on the dangers of eating processed meat is important because many like it.
“Increased awareness on the dangers of too much processed meat consumption must be ensured and provide consumers with good information so that they‘d be free from the risk of acquiring cancer,” he said.
Rodolfo C. Estimo, Jr - Arab News
