How to Be a Conscious Eater

one’s overall chance of death. So, looking more holistically, the

total number of annual deaths worldwide—not just those from

cancer—that can be attributed to eating lots of processed meat

is 644,000. That’s according to the Harvard T. H. Chan School

of Public Health’s assessment of the Global Burden of Disease

Project, which was based on data for the year 2013.

All in all, the World Cancer Research Fund recommends eating

little (if any) processed meat and limiting red meat to about three por-

tions per week. A portion is no more than 6 ounces cooked or

8 ounces raw—for a maximum of 18 ounces cooked, or 24 ounces

raw, of red meat per week.

To recap: There are heaps of data that something about pro-

cessed meats messes with our cell functioning and raises our

risk of colorectal cancer. However, you don’t have to give them

up entirely.

SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR PROCESSED MEAT CONSUMPTION

Try to get deli meats sliced fresh from the butcher counter.

That way you’ll avoid or at least reduce the amount of

nitrates added for preservation. Whole roasted chickens at

the grocery store are considered fresh, too, not processed.

Though more research is needed, you’d be wise to choose

verifiably healthy cooking methods for your fish intake (like

baking), and treat lox and the like as special treats.

Don’t eat bacon every day for breakfast, or bologna sand-

wiches every day for lunch. Your frequent habits make a

much bigger difference for your long-term health than what

you eat on special occasions. Which means . . .

Yes, every now and then at a baseball game, go ahead and

enjoy that hot dog.

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