After the World Health Organization placed red meat and processed meat products in the group of the most carcinogenic foods alongside tobacco and alcohol, a storm arose. A storm among producers and a storm among those who cannot imagine a day without meat, sausages, hot dogs, bacon, prosciutto, pate... Are these products really carcinogenic?

It is foolish that those who compiled this scale seek to soften their decisions. They often hide behind statistical data that red meat and meat products cause cancer in only 3%, which is low compared to other foods, but still: if there are ways to avoid carcinogenic foods, the correct path is to educate consumers. Also, because it is in the interest of producers that their customers are satisfied and will quickly adapt. Therefore, it is in everyone's interest to make and eat better food, right?

That's why we offer you some tips on how to distinguish the wheat from the chaff among meat products.

It starts, of course, with reading the label. If you come across the label MSM, which stands for mechanically separated meat, do not buy such products. This means that such meat is often ground together with bones that contain the most antibiotics, hormones, heavy metals, and other toxins that the animal consumed. You will most often come across this label on sausages, hot dogs, and pate.

Special mention goes to various flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, preservatives... Definitely avoid labels E249, E250, E251, and E252. These labels indicate that the product contains emulsified nitrates, which are (over)abundant amounts of salt. The most dangerous and very common emulsifier is carrageenan or E407, which is labeled as a highly carcinogenic substance. It adheres to the walls of the intestines and prevents the body from absorbing nutrients, and it also causes small sores on the glued parts from which colon cancer develops. Another important warning: carrageenan or E407 is a natural plant thickener. Not everything that is natural is good for health. And do not fall for promises that only natural substances are used. Some can be very harmful.

If you come across labels E451 (tripolyphosphates), E452 (polyphosphates), and E453 (phosphates), immediately return the product to the shelf. Behind these labels hide carcinogenic nitrosamines and polyphosphates. They harm our genes, so be especially careful that such food is not consumed by children, while in older people, these substances cause certain diseases that we have carried within us for years and do not bother us to suddenly flare up.

If you have read that a product contains a flavor enhancer glutamate or glutamine, do not buy such a product. This means that the product does not contain meat or the meat content is lower than expected. It is similar to juices, where only 20% is juice, the rest is water and chemicals. Meat is expensive, so producers use substitutes.

Also pay attention to the appearance of the meat. If the meat is streaked with fatty veins, then the animal did not eat well. If these veins are absent, and water drips from the meat on top, this is evidence that such an animal received growth hormone and antibiotics. It is even more dangerous if you grill such meat because it forms feed dioxins, which are highly carcinogenic.