So my friend asked me “are you going to stop eating steak”. Hell no I said, like eggs are bad for you and salt is bad for you it comes down to how much and how often and I like an occasional steak thank you very much! Here is another editorial I found of interest on the subject.
The WHO should have anticipated the media impact of its report on the health effects of the consumption of red meat and processed meats, in order to avoid creating unnecessary panic.
Pablo León in an article on Elpais.com, highlights how unfounded is the alarm generated by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) inclusion of processed meats (sausages, burgers, etc.) in the same category as being harmful to health, as tobacco, alcohol, plutonium and contaminated air because of its carcinogenic effects.
In the same report, the WHO also pillories red meat as “probably carcinogenic”, resulting in the least advised and supported member of the public in the lightest forms of journalism, experiencing serious confusion as all meat gets lumped in the same boat: carcinogenic.
Apart from the scientific discussion on the subject, which goes a long way in response to the WHO report, we want to highlight the potential impact on the related production sector. Putting in the same source of information the fact that one type of food which is placed on the tables of hundreds of millions of people everyday “increases the risk of cancer” along with another staple in a healthy diet such as red meat, noting that it is “probably carcinogenic” is at the very least, unwise.
“… There are some pieces of scientific news which should not reach the media until there is clear evidence. On the other hand, a communication strategy is needed to clearly explain the conclusions of the report without being dramatic. ”
“… First it was sugar. And the world embraced saccharin. But then saccharin was revealed to be harmful and stevia appeared. Olive oil, healthy because of the type of fat it contains, was once demonized until sunflower oil replaced it as its mortal enemy … ”
“… The demonization of different foods has remained constant ever since scientific studies related to food were first published. “Ham went from being vilified to becoming great. The opposite to what happened to smoked salmon which started out as healthy but became an enemy because of the fat or hydrocarbons it contains after being cooked, ” recalls nutritionist Laura Pire. When researching a food you can always find something bad: “We could conclude that we have nothing left to eat. We would not die of cancer but of starvation,” says Maria Ballesteros, from the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition. Besides the product itself, professionals recommend paying attention to additives. “A dangerous additive can and should be avoided. As a dietary component, no,” said Pire. The key is to provide nutrition, enjoy food, not stuff yourself and eat any thing. “