Does red meat cause cancer? A new study has just come out suggesting that there could be a causal relationship between red meat and the risk of developing cancer. Perhaps surprisingly to some, the meat itself is not to blame, but rather a most unexpected substance: sugar.
A sugar molecule called Neu5Gc was found to cause inflammation because it is foreign to the human body. This inflammation then can potentially lead to an increased risk of tumor growth. The study was performed at the University of California, San Diego’s School of Medicine and published in the esteemed peer reviewed journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The results of the study cannot, at this time, be used to definitively state that red meat causes cancer, but if the outcomes the researchers found were to be replicated over time, recommendations for dietary intake of red meat could eventually change. What this study shows is that there might be a link between the sugar molecule in red meat and increased inflammation in the body which in turn could lead to tumor development.
Before this study was completed, scientists theorized that perhaps the act of grilling the meat was the missing link to explain why some studies have shown a correlation between eating red meat and a higher incidence of certain cancers. That theory has now been called into question.
The same effect is not seen with white meats like fish and chicken because they do not contain the sugar molecule responsible for the inflammation. Inflammation occurs when the body views the foreign sugar molecule as an invader and attacks it by creating antibodies.
Pork and lamb also contain high amounts of the molecule, reports Tech Times. The sugar molecule is a culprit in not just cancer but in any disease that gets worse in the presence of inflammation such as type 2 diabetes, for example. The molecule is available to the whole body and thus can affect multiple body systems as it travels through the bloodstream.
Does red meat cause cancer? The jury is still out on that, but further study is certainly warranted to determine whether the study results can be replicated. For now, there is no change to existing dietary recommendations, but due to fish being so healthy for the body, it can never hurt to incorporate more of it into the diet and consider replacing some red meat meals with seafood if your doctor agrees that would be a good strategy for you.