• World
  • health

Processed Meat Causes Cancer, World Health Organization Says

1 minute read
By Tara John

Processed meat, such as frankfurters and bacon can cause bowel cancer said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, while red meat is likely to cause the disease.

The cancer agency of the WHO, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans.” This category already includes tobacco, mustard gas and formaldehyde. The agency found that eating 50 grams of processed meat – meat that has been salted, cured, fermented, smoked, or processed in another way– each day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

Red meat, which includes beef, lamb and pork, was deemed “probably carcinogenic to humans” and has associations with colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.

Read more: The 50 Healthiest Foods of All Time (With Recipes)

You Asked: Your Top 10 Health Questions Answered

You Asked: Are Cleanses Healthy?
You Asked: Are Cleanses Healthy? Potions that claim to clear your body of toxins might sound alluring, but do they deliver?Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: Is Dessert Bad For Me?
You Asked: Is Eating Dessert Really That Bad For Me? Bad news for sweet-eaters—except if you end your meals with this kind of treat.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: What’s the Best Way to Whiten My Teeth?
You Asked: What’s the Best Way to Whiten My Teeth? Yes, teeth whitening actually works—but here's why you have to dish out major bucks to see results.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: Is Meditation Worth It?
You Asked: Is Meditation Really Worth It? From easing stress to lowering heart disease risk, focusing your mind can do some amazing things for your body.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: What’s the Healthiest Sweetener?
You Asked: What’s the Healthiest Sweetener? Take a taste of the unsettled science of sweeteners.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: Should I Go Paleo?
You Asked: Should I Go Paleo? The pros and cons of eating like a caveman.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: Is Cracking Your Knuckles Bad?
You Asked: Is Cracking Your Knuckles Bad? Here's what really happens to your joints when you snap, crackle and pop.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: Is Running on a Treadmill as Good as Running Outside?
You Asked: Is Running on a Treadmill as Good as Running Outside? You'll fool your body into thinking it's outside with this one small treadmill tweak.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: Does Laughing Have Real Health Benefits?
You Asked: Does Laughing Have Real Health Benefits? Here's proof that everybody could use a belly laugh.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME
You Asked: What Is My Poo Telling Me?
You Asked: What Is My Poo Telling Me? If you listen hard enough, you'll hear all kinds of health stories from #2.Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME

Read next:

  • What to Know about Meat and Cancer
  • Which Meats Should You Avoid?
  • Big Meat Pushes Back Against WHO Report Linking Meat to Cancer

    • More Must-Reads from TIME

    Contact us at letters@time.com