Cancer Society moves to dispel breakfast fears

The Irish Cancer Society has moved to calm public fears over new research revealing your morning fry could prove terminal.

It has emerged eating just one sausage or approximately three rashers of bacon a day can increase the risk of developing bowel cancer by a fifth,

Studies show that just 50g of processed meat daily increases the chances of getting bowel cancer by around 20%.

The charity, World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), says more needs to be done to get across the message that people who eat processed meat regularly are putting their health at risk after the publication of convincing evidence of a link between processed meats and cancer.

Processed meat is defined as that which is preserved by smoking, curing, salting or the addition of preservatives.

Examples include ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, hot dogs and processed sausages.

Hamburgers and minced meat count if they have been preserved with salt or any chemical additives.

Speaking at Irish Cancer Society headquarters in Dublin, Eimear Cotter from the organisation's health promotion unit said it is a question of monitoring the amount of fried food you have in your dietary week rather abandoning it completely.

Counsellors are available to field queries on the subject at the National Cancer Helpline on Freefone 1800 200 700 (open Monday - Thursday 9am - 7pm and Fridays 9am - 5pm).