ScienceOverNonsense t1_iup6l6x wrote
My guess about highly processed meat is that the preservatives damage the gut biome, causing an imbalance in favor of harmful bacteria and fungi.
BrightAd306 t1_iuphiom wrote
It is interesting though because in the past, city people had access to meat we’d never eat today. Much of it was far past what we’d consider safe to eat and just flavored or boiled like crazy. It’s why ketchup was invented. It’s hard to imagine that was better than processed. Maybe it wasn’t, I guess people died a lot more from food poisoning back then so didn’t end up with cancer
ScienceOverNonsense t1_iupms0b wrote
Exactly, it takes much longer for cancer to develop than food poisoning, and many people didn’t live long enough to get the cancers now commonly seen in many older people. Food processing has become more complex than traditional salting, smoking, drying, etc, with relatively new additives, both synthetic and “natural.” Cancer is not the only consequence from long term consumption of processed meat products. They are high in sodium, which can affect blood pressure, an important factor in many diseases of aging. High consumption of processed meat leaves less room in the diet for more beneficial foods, and they are often consumed with alcohol or other foods that are relatively unhealthy. People choosing this kind of diet are likely less knowledgeable about healthy eating and less likely to prioritize it and other healthy lifestyle practices.
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