Especially liver and stomach cancers according to a study.
In nutrition, meat is an important source of essential proteins and nutrients, but its impact on health is also the subject of many discussions. Too fat? Too inflammatory? It is in this context that a team of researchers from the National Institute of Gastroenterology in Bari (Italy) conducted a large study to assess the association between the consumption of different types of meat and the risks of disease.
The researchers questioned nearly 4,900 adults aged 18 to 94 on their eating habits: type of meat consumed, frequency, quantity … These data were then crossed with the various health problems encountered by participants over the years. Result: consume more than 300 g per week of a certain type of meat increases the overall risk of mortality by 27 % and that of developing gastrointestinal cancer (colorectal, stomach, liver, pancreas …) of 127 %, compared to more moderate consumption (100 g/week). The risk increases to +161 % in men.
The meat in question is poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, guinea fowl …). White meat is often presented as a healthier alternative to red meat, especially because it generally contains less saturated fat. And it’s true. But this study recalls that excessive consumption, even of white meat, is not without consequences for health. To give an idea, 300 g of poultry per week correspond to two chicken cutlets of 150 g or a large chicken thigh + a small turkey. A quantity quickly reached if you often consume meat. “”For many people, 300 g of poultry per week may seem a fairly low quantity, which makes the results of the study all the more challenging“, underline the researchers in the journal Nutrients.
The team recalls the interest of limiting their poultry consumption, alternating with other sources of protein just as interesting in terms of nutrition, such as fish, eggs or legumes. Another advice: favor soft cooking (steam, muffled, oven or in the pan with moderate fire). Conversely, cooking at high temperature such as fried, grilling or barbecues are to be limited: they can carbonize the surface of the meat and promote the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds.
