8Processed and charred meats
Not all meats! Processed meat and charred meat are the major offenders here. Red meat has been in the doghouse for a long time as a possible cause of cancer. But it has more to do with how it is prepared than anything else. Since red meat (beef, pork and lamb) is tougher than white meat (chicken and fish), it needs to be cooked, grilled or barbecued at high temperatures.
These cooking methods release well-studied carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. You could mitigate the issue by using thinly cut slices of red meat in a stew or soup, for starters. As for processed meats like bacon, sausages, hot dogs and ham, you can do nothing by reducing their intake and therefore, the accompanying sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate and other cancer-causing chemicals they contain.
Alternative: It’s true that proteins and good fats are necessary for a healthy diet. So while you need not give up on red meat completely, substitute it with white meats whenever you can. Another nutrient-rich source of protein apart from meat is the food group containing sprouted pulses, beans or lentils.