Veggie Blog

The old version of this post claimed that meat-eaters have a much bigger chance of getting cancer. The sentence was muddled, and one line even said the opposite, so I have rewritten it from the research.

Is meat linked to cancer?

The World Health Organization says that processed meat, such as bacon, sausages and ham, is classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), because there is sufficient evidence that it causes colorectal cancer. Red meat is classified as probably carcinogenic (Group 2A). WHO adds that the risk increases with the amount of red or processed meat eaten, and that at the time of the original assessment the data did not permit a conclusion about whether a safe level exists. A Group 1 label describes how strong the evidence is, not how big the risk is.

Do vegetarians get fewer diseases?

Some studies suggest a benefit. In the Adventist Health Study 2, vegetarians had a 12 percent lower adjusted risk of death from any cause than non-vegetarians. This is an association: people who skip meat often differ in other ways, such as exercise and smoking. A vegetarian diet of chips and sweets is not a healthy one, so the quality of the food matters as much as the label.

How much meat is reasonable?

The World Cancer Research Fund recommends no more than about three portions of red meat a week, which is roughly 350 to 500 grams cooked weight, and eating little if any processed meat. If you are not ready to go fully vegetarian, our guide to eating to lower cholesterol with fiber and plants shows how to build meals around beans and vegetables.

Should you try a month meat-free?

My old advice was to try it for a month and see how you feel. I still think this is a good experiment, but I have dropped the claim that nine out of ten people feel better, because I found no source for it. Plan for protein, iron and vitamin B12, keep notes on how you feel, and talk to your doctor if you have a medical condition. Our post on the main types of vegetarian diet can help you pick a starting point.