Red meat and bowel cancer

Red meat

Excess consumption of red meat has been shown to increase the risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer. Even though red meat is a good source of protein and provides vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc, evidence shows that there is probably a link between eating it and the risk of bowel cancer.
A study, which followed 37,698 men and 83,644 women for up to 28 years, found red meat was associated with an increased risk of deaths from all causes, including cancer deaths and deaths from cardiovascular disease.
The risk was particularly high for people who regularly consumed processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, sausages and salamis. The study, published in the prestigious medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine, said replacing just one serving of red meat with fish, chicken, low-fat dairy or whole grain foods could reduce the risk of death by 7-19 per cent.
The findings are consistent with Bowel Cancer Australia recommendations to limit red and processed meats as one way of reducing the risk of bowel cancer.
The Department of Health has warned people who eat more than 90 grams (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day to cut down to 70 grams.
This definition of red meat includes beef, lamb, pork, veal, venison and goat while it does not include turkey meat, chicken, goose, game birds, fish and rabbit.