Sausages can be harmful to your health
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Eating processed meat such as sausages increases the possibility of heart disease, while red meat is not as harmful, according to a study by Harvard University.
The team looked at studies involving over one million people and found that just 50g of processed meat a day raised the risk of diabetes.
However, there was no such risk from eating as much as twice the amount of unprocessed meat, such as lamb, beef or pork – despite the fact the two forms of meat have a similar fat content.
The researchers speculated that given the similar quantities of cholesterol and saturated fats, the difference may be explained by the salt and preservatives added to processed meats.
Any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting such as bacon, sausages or salami can increase blood pressure in some people, due to the salt content.
This is a key risk factor for heart disease.
The team’s research proved that each 50g serving of processed meat per day was associated with a 42% higher chance of developing coronary heart disease and a 19% higher risk of diabetes.
Lead author, Renata Micha said: “Although cause-and-effect cannot be proven by these types of long-term observational studies, all of these studies adjusted for other risk factors.
“Also, the lifestyle factors associated with eating unprocessed meats and processed meats were similar, but only processed eats were linked to higher risk.”
Victoria Raylor, senior heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said: “If you like red meat, this can still be included as part of a balanced heart-healthy diet.
“Go for lean cuts and aim to cook from scratch using healthier cooking methods like grilling or baking. If you need to add flavour, then try using fresh and dried herbs, spices and chillies instead of salt.”
A BPEX spokesman, who represents pork producers, insisted processed meats could form part of a balanced diet.
He suggested further research was needed before any dietary recommendations could be made.
“Various studies indicate that high consumption of processed meat can be indicative of an overall poorly balanced diet: therefore it could be other aspects of the diet that are contributing to the increase in risk,” he added.
By Deepika Dudakia
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