Here’s some good news for meat lovers: Red meat may not cause cancer after all.

According to a recent study published in Nutrients, a certain chemical additive is to blame for the cancer-causing effect associated with meat, particularly processed meat. Sodium nitrite, which is often found in commercial food products like bacon, sausages and canned meats, is a heavily used preservative in the food industry. This chemical is also used by manufacturers to cure or enhance the color of processed meat.

When researchers from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) in the U.K. looked at studies involving only sodium nitrite-containing meat, they found that the majority of those studies linked the consumption of nitrite-containing meats to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Previous reports responsible for red meat’s bad rap had also linked it to pancreatic and prostate cancer.

How meat in general got its “carcinogenic” label

Back in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, issued a statement describing the consumption of red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A carcinogen). A group of experts from 10 countries reviewed several studies on red meat and found limited evidence that it can cause cancer in humans.

The group issued the same verdict on processed meat but found sufficient evidence that it can cause colorectal cancer. Hence, they labeled processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen. They also concluded that eating 50 g of processed meat daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

“For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” said Dr. Kurt Straif, head of the IARC Monographs Programme at the time.

The experts based their conclusions on more than 800 studies that explored the relationship between the consumption of red meat and processed meat, and different types of cancer.

What new research is saying about red meat

Several chemicals in processed meat (besides nitrites) are believed to be involved in colorectal cancer development. These include heterocyclic amines (HCA), polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heme iron. HCA and PAH are chemicals formed when meat is cooked at high temperatures. Meanwhile, heme iron is a natural component of animal tissue.

According to the QUB researchers, HCA and PAH can also be found in other foods like fish and poultry, which are not known to cause cancer; hence, they have been largely ruled out as carcinogens. A recent study also did not find enough evidence that heme iron can increase the risk of colon cancer. This leaves nitrites as the likely culprits. Both studies pointed to N-nitroso compounds (NOC), which are formed inside the body after consumption of red meat or nitrites, as the carcinogens.

NOCs are also formed when sodium nitrite reacts with secondary amines once it is added to meat. This is an unintended consequence that leads to the formation of a wide range of NOCs. But scientists say that only some NOCs cause cancer in humans. In fact, clinical trials show that the NOCs produced after eating red meat are structurally different from the NOCs that have been linked to certain tumors. This suggests that red meat, especially meat that did not undergo processing, contains no additives and was derived from grass-fed sources, does not increase the risk of cancer.

“There are so many variables when it comes to people’s diets. But based on our study, which we believe provides the most thorough review of the evidence on nitrites to date, what we can confidently say is that a strong link exists between nitrite-containing processed meat, such as frankfurters, and [colorectal cancer],” said Brian D. Green, senior author of the QUB study.

Red meat has a lot of nutritional value. Besides being rich in protein, it is a great source of vitamins B3, B12 and B6, and minerals like iron, zinc and selenium. Red meat also contains creatine and carnosine, which are important for your brain and muscles.

For a healthy and balanced diet, combine your meat with adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables and other foods that are rich in fiber. Dietary fiber helps keep your colon clean and healthy, promotes digestion and regular bowel movements, and helps lower your risk of colorectal cancer.

Sources include:

IARC.fr ^[PDF]

MedicalNewsToday.com

Cancer.gov

MDPI.com

ScienceDirect.com

Healthline.com