Lunch meat, kids and colon cancer

September 7, 9:18 AMHouston Parenting Teens ExaminerGina Carroll

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There are ways to make sure his killer sandwich doesn't kill him!

You may have thought it was enough to upgrade your lunch meat from those old, thick bologna slices to healthier options like turkey and low-fat ham. But according to recent studies, this is so not so! The processed meats you are putting in your child’s lunch are a bigger health risk than once believed. The World Cancer Research found “convincing evidence” that children who ate processed meats—that is, smoked or cured meats like bacon, ham or salami had a greatly increased risk of colon cancer later in life. The researchers believe the preservatives used in processed meats are the culprit. The accumulation of these preservatives, like nitrites and nitrates, may produce cancer-causing substances in the body. The World Cancer Research Fund would like to see processed meats banned from children’s lunch boxes.
 

Fortunately for us parents of sandwich-loving children, there are lots of alternatives in most grocery stores. Sandwiches are great with nut butters like those made from almond, cashew and the old favorite, peanuts. My kids love tuna, chicken and egg salad sandwiches. But if you must use lunch meats and you’d like to avoid nitrites and other dangerous preservatives, look for brands like preservative-free Hormel Natural Choice Deli Meats and Applegate Farms’ organic, preservative-free meats in the meat section of the store. Applegate Farms’ and Hormel’s line of preservative-free meats are delicious and with out the harmful additives. Applegate Farms’ meats are also free of antibiotics and hormones. And in addition to lunch meats, they offer all natural sausage, bacon and hot dogs. The number of other brands following suit are growing. But make sure to read the labels carefully. Just because a brand has “natural” on the label doesn’t mean it is preservative-free.
 

Also see, 7 Most Dangerous Ingredients in Conventional Foods
 

Also learn-- How to Make Homemade Nut Butters