Was that bacon news really news? Well yes because it made the news media but it really wasn't. Or it wasn't as big as it was made out.
[audio wav="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/COMM-THURS-OCT-29.wav"][/audio]
A branch of the World Health Organization has characterized bacon, ham, sausage and other processed and smoked meats as cancer causing and red meat generally as possibly cancer causing.
I have to admit that I am surprised because I thought they had already done that. For most of my life there has been the understanding that too much of these delicious products are somewhat carcinogenic and that too much red meat generally is too much of a good thing.
It was also interesting that the news, was accompanied by the opinion of the organization that most countries recommended consumption levels, or limits are safe.
I was surprised at the extent of the headlines and mis-applied verbiage trying to imply, or out and out saying that meat is in the same class as asbestus. It is not. It is all about the risk and unfortunatly, for some reason the World Health Organization doesn't doesn't have much to say about the degree of risk.
This isn't to say the reaction was completely misleading. Some published well thought out explanations, noting the World Trade Organization simply characterises threats it doesn't know how likely you are get actually be threatened by them.
The numbers, according to those publications mean, that if every one ate more than the safe limits, colorectal cancer would rise from 56 cases per 1,000 people to 66 cases.
Or maybe it wouldn't. Doesn't it all depend on how your total diet works out, whether you eat your veggies, whether your weight is correct, how much alcohol you drink, and whether it is red wine, and your genetics?
I think most of us would agree that the over reaction was an over reaction. The fact that cattle and pork producer groups and meat processors are trying to get the facts out there is not proof that there is some huge conspiracy, just that they want to get the facts out there.
If you are concerned that a slice of bacon or salami will wreck your gut, eat some fruit and vegetables to go with it. I'm sure the pork and cattle producers wouldn't object and your neighbours who grow the fruit and vegetables would be happy.
Now I am not doctor I'm not a statistician, and I am not a chef. No one would, or should rely on me for medical advice, the stats come from a different source, and if you follow a recipe I may have passed along you do so at your own discretion.
My diet isn't going to change because of this. Moderation remains the key. If your diet isn't as moderate you might want to cut back a little but don't panic it never fails to amaze me how some people, and some organizations can take seriously conclusions that don't have any context or degree of probability .
