Does Red Meat Cause Cancer?

Meat lovers, beware: Red meat, like beef and pork, and processed meats, like hot dogs and sausage, are linked to an increased risk of developing cancer.

“There is a known link between certain types of meat and some forms of cancer, particularly colon cancer,” says oncologist Alok Khorana, MD. “Scientific evidence has been accumulating for decades that colon cancer is more common among people who eat the most red meat and processed meat.”

Before we go any further, let’s first break down those two categories. Red meat is the muscle meat of mammals, like:

• Beef
• Pork
• Veal
• Lamb
• Mutton
• Goat

Processed meat is meat that’s preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding chemical preservatives. It includes:

• Bacon
• Ham
• Hot dogs
• Jerky
• Lunchmeat, like deli meats and salami
• Sausage
• Smoked meats

Processed meats don’t have to be made of red meat. Chicken nuggets and turkey pepperoni, for example, both fall into the processed meat category, even though they’re made with poultry.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s look at what the science says about the connection between red and processed meat and certain types of cancer — and just how concerned you should be.

The link between red meat and cancer

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated more than 800 studies on the association of cancer with eating red or processed meat. The studies looked at more than a dozen types of cancer in populations with diverse diets over the course of two decades.

Based on the results of that extensive research, the IARC issued two new classifications on the “carcinogenic risk” of red and processed meat. Carcinogens are substances that may increase your risk of cancer. They include, for example, ultraviolet rays from the sun and chemicals like tobacco and asbestos.

Still, Dr. Khorana says that not all carcinogens are necessarily created equal.

“It’s important to know that these classifications merely show the level of confidence the IARC has in its belief that processed meat causes cancer,” he notes, “and not how much cancer processed meat causes or how potent a carcinogen it is. Hot dogs are not equally as dangerous as cigarettes — the two just share a confirmed link to cancer, in the IARC’s opinion.”

We asked Dr. Khorana to help us dig deeper into the IARC’s classifications and what they mean for your health.

Red meat is ‘probably carcinogenic’

The IARC classifies red meat as a Group 2A carcinogen, which means that it is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

“This classification is based on limited evidence that eating red meat causes cancer in humans and strong evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect,” Dr. Khorana says.

Processed meats are carcinogenic

When it comes to processed meats, there’s no “probably” about it: The IARC classifies them as a Group 1 carcinogen, which the report explains means that there is “sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.”

That puts bacon, salami and the like in the same cancer-causing category as tobacco, alcohol and ultraviolet rays from the sun — some of the most common Group 1 carcinogens.

“Processed meats fall into the same category that cigarette smoking does with lung cancer,” Dr. Khorana states. “In other words, it’s an item that causes cancer at some point in the future if you consume high amounts.

But why? So far, evidence suggests that it’s probably the actual processing of the meat, or the chemicals naturally present within it, that increases the risk of cancer. Experts have long warned of the dangers of certain chemicals used to cure meat, like nitrates and nitrites, which the body converts into cancer-causing compounds.

What about smoked meats?

You might not think about smoked meats as being processed to the same extent as, say, lunch meat or bologna. You just pop a slab of ribs or a turkey breast in your smoker for a few hours, and they come out tasting juicy and flavorful. What’s the risk there?

“Previous studies have shown that grilling or smoking meat can create suspected carcinogens,” Dr. Khorana clarifies. ”In other words, the method of cooking itself is what makes the difference.”

When meat is smoked, it’s exposed to very high temperatures that create harmful substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). The National Cancer Institute warns that both of these substances are mutagenic, which means they can lead to DNA changes that raise your risk for certain types of cancer.

Types of cancer linked to red meat

Eating red and processed meat is most closely associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, which can be divided into colon cancer and rectal cancer.

These cancers develop from growths called polyps that form in the inner lining of your colon (which processes and moves food waste) or your rectum (where poop gathers before it exits the body). Both your colon and rectum are a part of your large intestine.

As of 2024, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in people between 18 and 50 years old — a major change from the past, when colorectal cancer mostly affected people over age 60.

“I don’t want to overstate the risk, as overall rates are still low compared to the older population,” Dr. Khorana says, “but we’re seeing a sharp increase in incidence among younger adults, which is very worrisome.”

Studies on the relationship between red meat and cancer have also found that eating high levels of red meat may be associated with a higher risk of:

• Prostate cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Breast cancer
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Lung cancer
• Renal cell cancer
• Uterine cancer

Lower your cancer risk by eating less red meat

So, now that you know that red meat and processed meat are associated with cancer, what’s a burger-lover to do? Does this mean you have to cut them out of your diet forever?

The IARC doesn’t provide any specific dietary recommendations, saying it doesn’t have enough data to define how much processed meat is dangerous. But it does say that your cancer risk rises with the amount of processed and red meat you consume.

“Each 50-gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases your risk of colorectal cancer by 18%,” Dr. Khorana shares. “To put that in perspective, 50 grams of bacon is roughly 3.5 slices.”

This doesn’t mean that you can never eat a good steak or a ballpark hot dog again. But it does mean that you should seriously limit them. What should you be eating instead? Good question.

How to consume less of it

What you eat can play an important role in your risk of developing certain types of cancer. In fact, a 2024 report showed that diet is the No. 1 risk factor for colon cancer in younger adults.

“Researchers are always finding new links between specific environmental factors to specific bacteria, and then those bacteria are linked to specific steps in the way that colorectal cancer develops,” Dr. Khorana explains. “We know that dietary factors like too much red meat and too much sugar are associated with an increased risk.”

To lower your risk of colon cancer, scale way back on foods like red and processed meats, sugar and alcohol, or cut them out entirely. Instead, start loading up on fish and fresh produce, like by following the Mediterranean diet.

One study showed that a diet of mostly fruits, vegetables and a moderate amount of fish seems to offer the most protection against colorectal cancer. A pescetarian diet (also called a pesco-vegetarian diet) is associated with a 45% reduced risk for colorectal cancers compared to people whose diets include meat.

“A healthy diet is good for your cardiovascular health and your overall outcomes,” Dr. Khorana says, “and it turns out that it’s also good for preventing cancer.”