Is Your Diet Raising Your Cancer Risk? Experts Say Look Out for This Food

Many people love the taste of bacon or a juicy slice of ham. Sausages are on breakfast tables and in packed lunches all over the world.

But now, cancer experts are sounding the alarm. They’re urging doctors to talk to their patients about the real health risks that come with processed meats.

And one of the biggest concerns is colon cancer.

In the past 30 years, colon cancer has been on the rise. Especially in younger people.

The number of cases under the age of 50 has jumped by 80% worldwide, according to Ziare. Scientists say there could be a mix of causes.

Pollution. Obesity. Tiny bits of plastic in the water we drink. But some experts believe the link between diet and disease is being overlooked. In particular, how much-processed meat people are eating.

Dr. Peter Liang from NYU Langone Health says that doctors need to speak up. He talks to his patients about the risks of processed foods.

But he isn’t sure if many other doctors do the same. According to him, people often take health advice seriously when it comes directly from their doctor.

Processed meat is a known cancer risk. That includes anything salted, smoked, or chemically treated to last longer or taste better.

Bacon. Ham. Sausages. Salami. These products often contain nitrates and other additives. When cooked, they form compounds that can damage the gut.

Professor Ulrike Peters, a cancer researcher in Seattle, points to three dangerous substances in meat: heme iron, nitrates, and amines. All of them are linked to cancer risk.

A UK study of 500,000 people found that eating these meats regularly raised the chance of colon cancer by 40%.

Another 2025 study of more than half a million women said processed meat was one of the top dietary risks—right behind alcohol.

Health agencies recommend limiting processed meat to 70 grams a day. That’s just two slices of bacon.

But some experts say cutting it out completely might be the safest option.

Cases of colon cancer are expected to keep climbing. And for younger generations, it may already be a growing threat hiding on their plates.