Processed meat may be "the latest public-health villain" as more research links it to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia — and health organizations are pushing people to lower their consumption of the food, Andrea Petersen writes for the Wall Street Journal.

Can processed meats harm your health?

According to Petersen, "[t]he deli meat in your turkey sandwich is the latest public-health villain," especially as more research links processed meat to a variety of health problems.

Processed meats, which include sliced ham, bacon, and sausage, are often loaded with sodium during the curing, smoking, or preservation process, with one study finding that processed meats have around 400% more sodium than unprocessed meat.

This excess sodium can increase blood pressure, which then increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. In a 2010 review of research published in Circulation, scientists found that each serving of processed meat a day is associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of diabetes. These findings have also been supported by more recent research.

Many processed meats also contain nitrites, which are preservatives that prevent bacterial growth and extend a food's shelf life. Nitrites can create N-nitroso compounds, which are chemicals that can damage DNA and lead to cancer.

These compounds can lead to inflammation, which may be the reason why consuming processed meat is associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a 2021 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Although some types of processed meat use natural forms of nitrates, such as celery powder, Karen Collins, a registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition advisor to the American Institute of Cancer Research, said these natural nitrates likely also have health risks.

"For decades, fathers and mothers have been sending children to school with low-fat chicken, turkey deli meat thinking they were doing good," said Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and professor of nutrition and medicine at Tufts University. "These foods are toxic."

The move away from processed meats

In recent years, there have been efforts to reduce the amount of sodium in processed meat or reduce consumption of processed meat altogether.

In 2021, FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued voluntary goals for food manufacturers to reduce the amount of sodium in packaged and processed foods, including processed meats. These goals will be in effect until spring 2024.

In New York City, the government intends to eliminate processed meat from the meals it serves in public schools, hospitals, and other programs by 2025. According to Kate MacKenzie, executive director of the mayor's office of food policy, the city is currently ahead of its goals to reduce processed meats in public school meals. The last "violator" food, a turkey-based breakfast sausage, will be removed by the end of the current school year, she said.

In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it plans to release new dietary recommendations that call for people to limit their consumption of processed meat by 2025. In 2015, WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer claimed processed meat was "carcinogenic to humans," with each 50-gram portion eaten a day increasing the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

However, it's not clear how effective these efforts to reduce people's consumption of processed meat will be, particularly as sales continue to be robust. In 2022, data from Circana showed that sales of processed meats hit $29.4 billion, up from $22.9 billion in 2018.

According to Mozaffarian, most of the health risks of processed meats are due to the manufacturing process, so the food industry should work to make healthier products. Some food manufacturers, particularly in Europe, are creating processed meats without nitrites, natural or otherwise.

"We should demand that the industry fix it so we can all eat bacon and hot dogs," Mozaffarian said. (Petersen, Wall Street Journal, 5/16)