Cheese Burgers Fight Cancer - Yeah Right!

I went into a burger store yesterday, only to find them hanging this cut magazine article beautifully framed on their wall!

At first, you would be like YEY! But NO.

So what the writers of this article did is:

• They linked a study that showed that Menaquinone, a type of vitamin K, can aid the body in preventing tumor development and decrease 28 % of cancer mortality. 
• Then they continued to suggest that since menaquinone is found in red meat (as well as frankfurters, salami, pepperoni, pork meat, cream cheese, chicken, corndogs, KFC chicken and so forth)
  >> THEN consequently your burger is "your weapon of choice" against cancer!
• They continue to advise that you can have their lovely red wine to help 'steer' your body against cancer

These simply are incomplete scientific facts.

It's like suggesting that because chocolate contains cocoa [which has antioxidant capacity] then you can go for chocolate to fight off unwanted cell mutations and cancer!

So let's state some "Red meat VS. Cancer" updates:

• Consumption of red meat is association with an increased risk of mortality, cardiovascular diseases and cancer - JAMA International Medicine
• Having red meat [like beef, pork, lamb and hamburgers] increased the chances of premature death by 13 % - Harvard Health Publications
• Dietary proteins and dietary iron in red meat are linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer - Science Daily
• Consumption of processed meats increased premature death by 44 % - Medlineplus
• Eating lots of red meat will increase the risk of kidney cancer - Reuters
• Increased risk of prostate cancer as well - Oxford Journals [Red meat is on a roll here!]
• Ovarian and Uterine Cancer as well - American Cancer Society
• Another increase in 12-17% of colorectal cancer! - CEBP Journals and another study shows an increase of 20 % of colon cancer - Harvard Health Publications
• And a possible increase in Stroke and CVD on another note - American Heart Association Journals

And yet the meat industry, particularly Janet Riley from the American Meat Institute, suggests that all these studies are just "statistical noise". The "Meat and Livestock Association" also believe that all this fuss about meat is unnecessary. It's weird how consistent this noise seems to be! 

Of course, adapting an unhealthy lifestyle is a major factor in cancer and premature death risk. Having a "Western" lifestyle, junk food, processed food, refined sugar, high intake of alcohol, low intake of fruits, veggies and fiber along with detrimental behavioral factors like low physical activity, smoking and obesity will definitely affect your cancer risk.

Bottom Line: 

Swapping red meat with another source of protein is best advised to reduce your risk of early death - Cancer Research UK! You can check here what the American Cancer Society advises to cut down your cancer risk for red meat is ONE factor among many - but still a controllable & changeable risk factor for that matter given that 43 % of deaths associated with red meat can be prevented by cutting it down!
If you wish to have your red meat burger once in a while, make sure the meat is not fried, even pan-fried, nor chargrilled. Broiling, baking or poaching meats is the safest!

So, having more red-meat free days is a must! Have plant based protein sources like beans, legumes, & nuts as well as fish, chicken and low fat dairy would still be a better bet for you than any red meat [beef, pork, lamb] and processed meat! - Harvard Health Publications