Processed Meat List, Definition, and Is It Bad For You? It’s not always that fresh meat lasts. Although there is a freezer, the quality and taste of beef, chicken, and fish are not guaranteed fresh for a long time. Especially for those who like to cook, but busy, storing fresh meat needs carefulness in order to still be consumed. Well, the problem is there are people who are late and there are people who are lazy, especially if they are tired.
But now there is no need to worry because there is processed meat in the packaging. The taste is not much different from fresh meat, and certainly much more practical and durable.
What is processed meat?
For those of you who do not know, processed meat is meat that has been preserved by cured (preserved with the addition of salt, nitrates and others), marinated, smoked, dried, or packaged in a can.
Processed Meat List
Processed meat products can usually be found in various forms such as:
Processed Meat List #1: Sausage
This Processed meat must be familiar. Sausage is one of the most popular processed meats in various countries. This one is made from mashed meat and mixed with other ingredients and seasonings. After that, the mashed meat is put in sausage packaging such as synthetic plastic to make it more durable. In various countries, processed sausages are available in a variety of flavors and made from various types of meat.
Processed Meat List #2: Smoked meat
Smoked meat or smoked beef / chicken is one of the processed meats that are also popular. This one is literally beef or chicken preserved by smoked. The smoked meat is thin and round slices. Although this smoked meat includes processed foods, the smoked meat in the packaging is different from the fresh smoked meat.
Processed Meat List #3: Corned beef
Corned beef is made from ground beef (brisket) preserved in brine and then boiled. Usually sold in the form of sachets or canned boxes on the market. But corned beef is not 100% meat. Processed meat is made from a mixture of meat, wheat flour, sugar, salt, and other seasonings. The shape is soft and pink.
#4. Bacon
This thin red-and-white meat is identical to the breakfast menu. This red-and-white color is a blend of meat and fat. Therefore, bacon is very popular because it tastes the most savory from other processed. In Europe and America bacon is made from pork. Bacon can be fried, baked, then served with eggs or tucked between sandwich buns.
#5. Salami
Salami has a whole sausage-like shape, but is more widely sold in the form of slices. It is smaller in size than smoked meat, with a red-and-white color of a mixture of meat and fat. Processed is popular as pepperoni for pizza toppings or sandwich contents.
#4. Other list of processed meats
- Ham
- Salted meat
- Jerky
- Canned meat.
What about frozen meat? This type of meat is not classified as processed meat. Because, meat that is only frozen does not go through any process other than stored in the freezer.
Is processed meat bad for you?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), processed meat can cause cancer. This is because processed meats are mixed with a number of additives, high in sodium, corn syrup (HFCS), nitrates and other chemicals that are mostly associated with cancer.
The most dangerous substances found in processed meats are nitrates and nitrites. At high temperatures, this substance can bind to amines so that it can form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are carcinogenic that can trigger cancer, including:
- Colon cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Pancreatic cancer.
The American Institute for Cancer Research states that daily consumption of processed meat can increase the risk of colorectal cancer by up to 21 percent. A University of Hawaii study found that processed meat increased the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent.