Link Between Meat Consumption and Cancer
If you still need an incentive to finish your veggies, consider this: A 2006 study from the American Institute for Cancer Research reveals a link between excessive meat consumption and certain types of cancer, including colorectal.
Research shows that diets high in meat encourage the proliferation of certain types of intestinal bacteria. The byproducts of these bacteria damage cells lining the colon, leading to an increase risk of cancer. The study, authored by Stephen J. O'Keefe, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, reports that our diets directly influence the ratio of good to bad gut bacteria. Two other studies, published in 2005, support O'Keefe's findings, reporting up to a 50 percent increase in the risk of some types of colon cancer in populations consuming high levels of red and processed meats.
Maybe it's time to pass on that burger and have a second helping of broccoli.
