Non-veg is widely consumed all over the world. Actually, it is rich in important nutrients like protein, vitamin B12 and iron. However, eating too much non-veg can sometimes be harmful for health. Actually, in recent years, research has been done on the fact that eating too much non-veg, especially red meat and processed meat, can increase the risk of cancer. Let us tell you about it in detail.

What does research say?

The World Health Organization's (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released an important report on this in 2015. In this report, red meat, especially processed meat, has been described as carcinogenic. Let us tell you, IARC released this report after reviewing more than 800 studies.

Red meat and processed meats

In fact, regular consumption of red meat such as beef, pork, mutton and lamb can increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Some research has also linked it to prostate cancer. On the other hand, eating processed meat such as bacon, sausage, salami and hot dogs for a long time increases the risk of colorectal cancer and stomach cancer. In fact, chemicals such as nitrites and nitrates are used in processed meat, which can create carcinogenic nitrosamines in the body.

Heme Iron in Red Meat

The heme iron found in red meat plays an important role in the development of cancer. In fact, when red meat is digested, this iron reacts chemically with the cells of the colon, forming carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines. These compounds can damage DNA, which can cause cancer.

Use of nitrites and nitrates

In fact, chemicals like nitrites and nitrates are used to store processed meat. These chemicals are for the preservation and taste of meat, but after reaching the body, they can turn into carcinogenic nitrosamines. Apart from this, cooking meat at high temperature during processing can also produce harmful chemicals like heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which increase the risk of cancer.