A review by the Harvard School of Public Health has found that people who eat one serving (50g) daily of processed meat such as bacon, ham, sausages or salami have a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Unprocessed red meats, such as beef, lamb or pork, do not increase the risk.
The review was published in the journal Circulation and examined 20 studies published worldwide, involving over a million people. It is already known that processed meats are linked to an increased chance of developing bowel cancer, but this new research shows that as little as two rashers a day also increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
