Hello, my Inky Buds, welcome to another segment in which I educate people about the world around them, and how things aren't always what they seem.
The title probably sounds scary, right? I would think so! I was shocked and dismayed to find that a "classic" American breakfast item, among other things, are slowly poisoning you! Now before you judge, no I am not vegan, nor am I the vegan teacher in disguise. In fact, I love meat! I was upset to find out that sausages, bacon, and other types of red meats and processed meats are carcinogenic. I used to eat sausages/bacon and eggs almost every morning because it was simple and easy to make. The thing is, I'm not alone. American food is ridden with processed meat! The USA is known for hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, and practically any unhealthy or over-the-top combinations of food there is. Millions of Americans eat bacon and all these other foods! They don't even know that it is killing them slowly, with the more they eat. Americans know that most of the stuff that tastes good, is unhealthy. I'm going beyond the fact that these foods will increase your cholesterol, give you high blood pressure, and increase your chance of obesity. It's not the basic stuff my Buds...
If you are American, I'm sure you've at least eaten one of the dishes of foods I have listed earlier, right?
I'm guessing you don't believe me though, I was skeptical at first as well, until WHO had actual information and proof to back this up!
According to WHO.int: "An international advisory committee that met in 2014 recommended red meat and processed meat as high priorities for evaluation by the IARC Monographs Programme. This recommendation was based on epidemiological studies suggesting that small increases in the risk of several cancers may be associated with high consumption of red meat or processed meat. Although these risks are small, they could be important for public health because many people worldwide eat meat and meat consumption is increasing in low- and middle-income countries. Although some health agencies already recommend limiting intake of meat, these recommendations are aimed mostly at reducing the risk of other diseases. With this in mind, it was important for IARC to provide authoritative scientific evidence on the cancer risks associated with eating red meat and processed meat."
Now, many people don't know this shocking fact, and I'm pretty sure it's obvious why. If you've heard of the Radium Girls, you might understand. This may be a cover-up, but the knowledge is out there! It's on the internet, and many reliable sources have done segments on it!
But people still gorge themselves on hotdogs and hamburgers. WHO stated that it poses as a small risk, but every American family has incorporated these foods into their everyday dishes. According to teacherscollegesj.org: "How many pounds of meat does the average American eat per year answer? In 2018, the average American ate 222 lbs of meat or 0.6 lbs per day. So, we can say that an average family of four consumes about 888 lbs of meat in a year (or 74lb per month).
So, is it a "small risk?" I think not. The numbers are there and are backed up by reliable sources. But why do so many people not know about it? It's all for profit yes, but many people aren't aware of what they are putting in their bodies, and what could be last for 1 more slice of bacon. Now here's where it gets a little choppy with what is the future going to look like. This WHO article was published in 2015, it is currently 2022. A segment of this article stated that: "IARC is a research organization that evaluates the evidence on the causes of cancer but does not make health recommendations as such. The IARC Monographs are, however, often used as a basis for making national and international policies, guidelines and recommendations to minimize cancer risks. Governments may decide to include this new information on the cancer hazards of processed meat in the context of other health risks and benefits in updating dietary recommendations."
Now you may ask, "What makes it carcinogenic?" According to WHO: "Cooking at high temperatures or with the food in direct contact with a flame or a hot surface, as in barbecuing or pan-frying, produces more of certain types of carcinogenic chemicals (such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic aromatic amines). However, there were not enough data for the IARC Working Group to reach a conclusion about whether the way meat is cooked affects the risk of cancer."
It has been about 7 years since this article was published, and there seems to be no sign on the packaging to show that it is exposing you to carcinogens when cooked. Now I've seen this warning on things such as pastries and other snacks. Even seaweed chips expose you to lead!
But no matter how hard I look, there is nothing for the meats! Even the warnings on other packaging are barely legible and are typed in tiny words like this. Some are even placed at the bottom of the packaging, away from the vision of the consumer! Now this adds another issue to all junk foods, according to Cancer.org:
"As part of the law, most businesses selling products in California must provide “clear and reasonable warnings” before knowingly exposing people to any chemical on the list, unless the expected level of exposure would pose no significant cancer risk. This warning is often in the form of a label on the product or its packaging."
Now let me tell you why they make it so tiny and small that it isn't even funny. The reason why is because if you try to sue them for "not telling you" about the side effects that cause health issues, they can grab their magnifying glass, and show you that there is a "warning." But let me ask this, is it really a warning if you can't even see it? If you were walking towards a pit of quicksand, unknowingly, but there was a small sign, barely even the size of your foot, that said "Warning," is that really a warning?
While many children grew up on bologna sandwiches and hotdogs, it doesn't mean that it's too late for them before they start developing colon cancer. It's never too late to start a healthier lifestyle. However, if you grew up eating those foods on a daily basis with little to no exercise, things may take a turn for the worse. According to utswmed.org: "You aren’t going to get colon cancer from occasionally eating processed meats. It’s the build-up over time and eating it often that increases your risk. Keep in mind that eating excessive processed meat also is unhealthy for your heart, so cutting back will benefit your health even if you aren’t worried about developing cancer."
My conclusion is, don't completely take meat out of your diet, but don't completely survive off of it either! Always read the labels too! Our bodies are important and are the only ones we have! We have to take good care of it so we can live to our fullest potential!
This ends today's post! I hope you learned something about our foods and will take up a healthier lifestyle and nix the junk. I've already limited red and processed meat intake for me and my family. Remember, a little is okay, don't be excessive Inky Buds!
Thanks for reading!
Have a good day🏙️/night🌃 Inky Buds!
(Stay tuned for the credits and for further knowledge.)
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