Catherine writes:
We all know that processed meats are not good for us, but what is the definition of processed meat? Is fresh sausage from the butcher with no added chemicals processed? How about the organic lunch meats that have no added preservatives? What about local bacon with no added nitrites or nitrates?”
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Catherine is not alone in her confusion about processed meat. This is always a hot topic among those who do my 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade™ program, for example. The daily quiz that we use in that program asks (among other things) whether you ate any cured meats before giving you a nutrition grade for the day. Many people hope that buying “uncured” bacon or hot dogs gets them off the hook on that question.
Today, we’re going to clear up the confusion once and for all.
What is the Definition of Processed Meat?
The reason that it’s hard to find a hard and fast definition for processed meat is that there isn’t one. This term is defined a little differently by everyone. The American Institute for Cancer Research defines processed meat as “meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives.”
The World Health Organization has a slightly broader definition: "meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation."