(WHDH) — You may want to think twice before you consider eating a crispy slice of bacon because the delectable breakfast staple could increase your risk of cancer, according to a new study published Wednesday.
Researchers tracked nearly half of a million adults in the United Kingdom over the course of five years and found that 25 grams of processed meat, like sausages or bacon, posed a bigger risk than red meat, with the risk of colorectal cancer jumping up by 20 percent.
Twenty-five grams is equal to about 0.88 ounces and it equates roughly to a thin slice of bacon, according to researchers.
The study also found that people who ate just over 1.5 ounces of red meat increased their risk of developing cancer by about 19 percent. A typical hamburger is about four ounces of meat.
“A small amount of processed meat seems to have the same effect as a large amount of red meat,” Professor Tim Key, who co-authored the study and is deputy director at the University of Oxford’s cancer epidemiology unit, told CNN.
The study also found that fiber from bread and breakfast cereal was linked with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
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