Bacon. For many carnivores with two legs, it’s considered the candy of the meat world.
I love bacon so much, I put effort into learning how to cook it to my personal preference, extra crispy. Basically, if I chose to throw a piece of bacon on the floor, it would shatter into a million pieces if cooked to my specification. Naturally, I would never intentionally throw a perfectly good piece of bacon on the floor.
This week bad news was released for bacon lovers everywhere. It, and many other processed meats, could lead to premature death. This news is based on the results of the World Health Organization’s most recent study.
While the headline is concerning, when you take the time to read further into the story it’s revealed that regular consumption of processed meats only slightly increases the risk of developing colon cancer. Of course higher consumption levels will increase that risk.
Before we all empty the fridge of bacon, keep in mind these studies are typically discounted by another study. Remember when coffee was bad for you back in the 1970s and 80s? I don’t because I didn’t drink coffee then, but CNN does. This year the news agency published a story about the history of coffee and the various studies that said enjoying a cup, or five, was bad for you. Now the drink is known to provide various health benefits.
Certainly bacon is not something people should be eating with every meal, if even more than a few times a week.
The same is true of any thing we consume.
Ultimately, if moderately consuming a certain type of food or drink makes you feel good, what’s the real harm?
The real goal is to find balance with the things in life that taste great, but may not be the healthiest. Including vegetables in your diet won’t hurt either.