The reason that it’s hard to find a hard and fast definition for processed meat is that there isn’t one. Nutrition DIva makes sense of the madness.
The reason that it’s hard to find a hard and fast definition for processed meat is that there isn’t one. Nutrition DIva makes sense of the madness.
Catherine writes:
“We all know that processed meats are not good for us, but what is the definition of processed meat? Is fresh sausage from the butcher with no added chemicals processed? How about the organic lunch meats that have no added preservatives? What about local bacon with no added nitrites or nitrates?”
Catherine is not alone in her confusion about processed meat. This is always a hot topic among those who do my 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade™ program, for example. The daily quiz that we use in that program asks (among other things) whether you ate any cured meats before giving you a nutrition grade for the day. Many people hope that buying “uncured” bacon or hot dogs gets them off the hook on that question.
Today, we’re going to clear up the confusion once and for all.
The reason that it’s hard to find a hard and fast definition for processed meat is that there isn’t one. This term is defined a little differently by everyone. The American Institute for Cancer Research defines processed meat as “meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives.”
The World Health Organization has a slightly broader definition: "meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation."
The FAO divides processed meats into six different categories, most of which include some things that would meet the AICR definition and other things that wouldn’t.
And for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), cured meats such as ham and bacon are put in one category and processed meats, which include frankfurters, sausage, and luncheon meats (made from meat or poultry)” in another.
No wonder we’re all confused!
Personally, I don't classify fresh sausage as a processed meat because it’s basically just raw, ground meat in a casing. I also don’t consider sliced roast beef or turkey from the deli case to be processed meat because it’s essentially the same as turkey or beef that I cook at home and then slice up for sandwiches.
Ham, on the other hand, is processed because it’s been cured—and that’s true whether I cook it at home or get it sliced from the deli case. Hot dogs, bologna, kielbasa, salami, pepperoni, and bacon are also processed meats. If you’re not sure, use the shelf-life as a rule of thumb. If you can keep it in the fridge for more than a few days without it going bad, it’s probably processed.
And that’s true even if it’s organic, local, and/or preservative-free.
But uncured bacon is obviously OK, right? I mean, it's clearly labeled "uncured": You can’t get much more unambiguous than that, can you?
Actually, you can. The truth is that "uncured" bacon (and hot dogs and bologna) are all skating by on a technicality. They’ve usually been treated with celery juice or powder instead of sodium nitrite. But celery powder is simply a potent natural source of nitrates, which converts to nitrites in the meat. The process—and product—is essentially the same. But a labeling loophole allows products made with celery extract to be sold as "uncured."
When it comes to their effect on health and nutrition, I think cured and uncured bacon have to be viewed as equivalent.
So what exactly is the problem with cured and processed meats, anyway? A lot of epidemiological evidence links consumption of cured and processed meats with increased risk of heart disease and cancer. The association is a little muddled by the fact that every study has a slightly different definition for processed meat. But the association is so consistent across so many studies and sufficiently significant in magnitude that it’s a hard to ignore.
There are also some plausible mechanisms to explain why these meats might be less healthful than fresh meat. I’ll mention just a couple: Nitrites in meat are converted into carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines in the digestive tract. Smoking meat or fish can create carcinogenic compounds called PAHs, which remain in the cooked product. Both of these offer plausible explanations for why consumption of these foods is linked to a higher rate of stomach and colon cancer.
And now for the good news: Even if you love bacon more than your mother, there is no need to despair. There are two things often get short shrift in discussions about cured and processed meats: dose and context.
Let’s talk first about dose: The association between cured and processed meats and increased disease risks is only seen with very high consumption of these foods. Translation: You’re not going to give yourself cancer by eating a BLT or hot dog once a week. Neither are your kids. But it’s probably not a good idea to eat them every day—and that applies to those “uncured” products as well.
See also: Why eating a hot dog won't kill you
And what do I mean by context? I mean: What are you eating that ham or smoked salmon or pepperoni with? Going back to the epidemiological evidence, we see that even when consumption of cured and processed meats is pretty high, those who also eat lots of fruits and vegetables appear to be protected from the negative effects.
There are plausible mechanism to explain this, as well. The antioxidants in vegetables can neutralize nitrosamines in the digestive tract and protect cells from the harmful effects. And people who eat more vegetables tend to take in more fiber, which helps to sweep harmful compounds out of the digestive tract.
Translation: Eat your vegetables—and try to eat a few extra on those occasions when you are enjoying some cured or processed meats.