Experts say we can all chill about that red meat causing cancer news

Finally, some good news in the world of food. Ever since sugar was declared toxic last week, and the news that red meat causes cancer this past Monday, it kind of felt like there was nothing we could eat that wouldn’t end up hurting us. But worry no more! Read meat might be back on the menu.

There were two major findings in the report that were keeping people up at night. One, that processed meats were a Group I carcinogen (you know, the same one as cigarettes) and two, that eating 50 grams of processed meat a day increases your risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. Obviously, people flipped.

The original report was released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, but after the intense panic that ensued, experts have stepped in to tell us to take a chill pill. The World Health Organization, that parent organization of the study, released the following statement:

So let’s clear some things up. While processed meats have been classified as a Group I carcinogen, that just means it’s shown to be carcinogenic, but it actually falls into subgroup 2A, which just means that it probably could be–not definitely.

And then when it comes to that 18% risk, that statistic is relative, not absolute. You’re 18% more likely relative to what your risk was already.

Essentially this study means that if you’re a healthy person, and you cut back a little bit on the processed meat, then you’re not at any astronomical risk for cancer. Go eat that burger. Just make sure the rest of your diet is balanced.

Related:

We have bummer news about bacon. *Cries forever*

Sugar is officially worse for you than fat, says science

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