We've heard the news this past week: bacon, sausages and red meat are now declared carcinogenic - cancer causing foods as told by the World Health Organization. Processed meat is now categorized as Group 1 Carcinogens. That ultimately means there's a strong link between our sweet tender dogs or sandwiches and cancer. Is there an alternative to not getting cancer but still being able to eat our favorite breakfast staple bacon? Most likely not.
Scientists have theorized that the cause of cancer stems from sodium nitrate which is present in additives placed on processed meat. These bad guys are converted into carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines when they enter the body, Time reports.
If you're planning to browse through the supermarket's frozen or preserved food section, you might see some bacon brands flashing "No Nitrites Added" up front. Experts say, that may be misleading. Scientists say that nitrates can come from something as natural as plants.
Celery, for example, is a natural source of nitrate. Celery juice has been known as a treatment to meat preservation compared to most that uses synthetic nitrates. So, that saving grace of nitrate-free bacon you're about to purchase may not be necessarily nitrate free at all.
Dr. Mariana Stern, a cancer expert who worked on the World Health Org. report, says that for the human body, it doesn't matter where the nitrates come from. It's still nitrate and can't be distinguished by the body.
When in the body, the nitrates convert into carcinogenic compounds and they damage the body's DNA. Carcinogens are also formed when the processed meat is cooked at a high temperature. The kind of temperature that makes our bacon crispy when we pan fry. Lastly, the HEME Iron found in meat can form N-nitroso compounds together with the nitrates.
Maybe the only alternative is the tofu bacon on the lower shelf - only if you're ready to be a vegan.
