'Don't eat more than two or three slices of meat per day'

PEOPLE should limit the amount of red meat they eat to the equivalent of three slices of ham, one lamb chop or two slices of roast beef a day, government advisers have warned.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), published recommendations aimed at cutting the risk of bowel cancer.

Evidence suggests red and processed meat increase the risk and that people who eat 90 grammes or more a day should cut back. Cutting to the UK average of 70g a day can help reduce the risk, the study from SACN said.

Red meat contains substances that have been linked to bowel cancer. One compound in particular, haem, which gives red meat its colour, has been shown in some studies to damage the lining of the colon.

The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting red meat consumption to 500g a week of cooked weight (about 700g to 750g uncooked).

It says people should avoid processed meats altogether because of the even higher risk of bowel cancer.

The charity estimated 3,800 cases of bowel cancer could be prevented every year if everyone ate less than 70g of processed meat a week.

Some 1,900 cases of bowel cancer could be prevented through cutting red meat consumption to less than 70g per week.

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Processed meat is generally defined as any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or with chemical preservatives added to it.

It is thought this process causes the formation of carcinogens, which can damage cells in the body and allow cancer to develop.

The government published a list yesterday of what is considered a 70g portion of red or processed meat.

These are: one medium portion shepherd's pie and a rasher of bacon; two standard beef burgers; six slices of salami; one lamb chop; two slices of roast lamb, beef or pork; or three slices of ham.

Some 90g of cooked meat is the equivalent to about 130g of uncooked meat, due to the loss of water during cooking.

Men are more likely to eat a lot of red and processed meat - 42 per cent eat more than 90g a day compared to 12 per cent of women.

Experts estimate the average Briton's lifetime risk of bowel cancer to be about 5 per cent. This rises to 6 per cent if people eat an extra 50g of processed meat a day on top of what they already consume.