Health
Let’s not bring home the bacon: healthier swaps for processed meat
The verdict is in - and it’s not looking good for bacon when it comes to health. Here’s what to have instead.
By Paula Goodyer
It was the news no bacon lover relished - that US researchers had linked a high intake of processed meat like ham, bacon and salami to a 13 per cent higher risk of dementi.
Their recent study wasn’t the first to make this connection. In 2021, the UK’s University of Leeds linked eating just 25g of processed meat daily - the equivalent of a single bacon rasher - to a 44 per cent increased dementia risk. Why bacon might be bad for brains isn’t totally clear, but it may be because too much processed meat is also associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease - both of them risk factors for dementia.
But foods like ham and chorizo are on the nose for yet another reason: bowel cancer. In 2015 the World Health Organisation declared processed meat a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there’s strong evidence it causes cancer - that’s why Cancer Council Australia recommends avoiding processed meats altogether or keeping them to a minimum to reduce the risk.
The problem with these foods is the nitrite and nitrate preservatives used to preserve them, explains Clare Hughes, Chair of Cancer Council’s Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee.
“When these preservatives reach the gut, they form another chemical called nitrosomine that can damage the cells lining the bowel and lead to bowel cancer,” she says.
But if processed meat is risky, why do we eat so much?
You’d think we’d give processed meat the chop, given that bowel cancer is Australia’s second most common cause of cancer death, so why is it so popular?
“Because it’s so convenient - it’s sliced and ready to go, and has such a high taste threshold that it’s easy to build a taste for it,” says Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian Dr Sue Radd, author of both Food as Medicine and Food as Medicine: Cooking to Prevent Diabetes. “We often eat more than we realise. People tell me ‘I don’t eat much processed meat’ but when you look at the whole of their diet, they’re having quite a lot.”
If not bacon, then what?
The trick to swapping bacon, ham and salami for healthier options is finding foods that deliver that intense umami bomb that comes from processed meat. Mushrooms are one - sliced and sautéed, they’re an easy swap for bacon with eggs, as are meaty Portobello mushrooms drizzled with olive oil and roasted in the oven.
What about fake plant-based ham or bacon?
“Some people don’t mind what their ham or bacon substitutes look like, but others want them to look like the real thing, “ says Sue Radd. “There are plant-based look-alikes available - products made from plant proteins like soy and gluten to look like bacon or deli meats. They’ve been criticised because they’re highly processed - and they are. But if you look at the studies, they’re still better than processed meat and usually lower in salt and saturated fat, unless they’re made with coconut oil. “
If you do buy these products, she suggests looking for those with the least sodium and saturated fat per 100 grams, the most dietary fibre (meat has no fibre), and those with the least number of additives like artificial colours and flavours in the ingredients list. “Some products may also be fortified with nutrients you’d get from meat like vitamin B12, zinc and iron, which is a bonus,” she adds.
What can I put in a sandwich instead?
There’s always cheese or pesto but if you want to put more plant protein into your day, she suggests other flavoursome swaps like nut butters or falafel with a generous slather of hummus. Or if protein and convenience is the name of the game, crack open a tin of tuna and put it on a salad sandwich or wrap.
If you’ve got time, a slice of marinated baked tofu is worth the effort - and has the bonus of helping lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. Sue Radd marinates strips of firm tofu in ginger, crushed garlic, tamari and a dash of vinegar, for one to four hours or overnight and bakes them in the oven until crisp for about 25 minutes.
How can I replace bacon, ham or chorizo in recipes?
Other ways to add a savoury flavour are - again - mushrooms, as well as sun-dried tomatoes, olives or capers, a dash of tamari or coconut aminos, a bottled sauce similar to soy but with less salt. There’s also nutritional yeast - little flakes of deactivated yeast that add a salty, umami flavour and are a source of fibre and B vitamins too.
What about processed meats made without nitrites or nitrates?
There’s a growing range of ham and bacon with no added preservatives or nitrites/nitrates, according to the Cancer Council NSW, but they’re still high in salt so should only be eaten occasionally.
“The International Agency for Research on Cancer also says that cooking meat and processed meat- particularly high temperature pan frying and barbecuing, or smoking- can cause the formation of compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are also considered carcinogenic,” Clare Hughes adds.
For more ways to replace processed meat, check out these tips from the Cancer Council NSW
Feature image: iStock/bopshops
The information on this page is general information and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Do not use the information found on this page as a substitute for professional health care advice. Any information you find on this page or on external sites which are linked to on this page should be verified with your professional health care provider.
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