Professor Dino Amadori, Head of the “Istituto Oncologico Romagnolo ONLUS (IOR)” in Forlí (Italy), is one of the maximum experts who have faced the first studies on the effects of meat consumption. He is also the first to highlight the risks of processed red meat consumption.

In this article, he and his collaborators reported that nitrites and nitrates used to preserve cured meats, in a reduced and low in vitamin C stomach acidity, may combine with amines to produce the carcinogenic nitroso compunds, such as nitrosamines.

Therefore, a glass of orange, lemon or grapefruit juice is enough to introduce the vitamin C levels needed to increase stomach acidity, avoiding the interactions between nitrites, nitrates and amines, and thus preventing the production of carcinogen nitrosamines.

This further confirms that there are no good and bad foods, and that possible negative effects associated with particular types of food can be balanced with positive effects from other kinds of food. For this reason, a varied and well-balanced diet is recommended, which means eating a variety of foods in the recommended amounts.

There is no point in avoiding meat consumption: it is wise to eat it in moderation and combined with protective foods high in vitamin C and antioxidants, as our Mediterranean Diet promotes.

Susanna Bramante

Susanna Bramante is an agronomist and scientific writer, author and co-author of 11 scientific publications and numerous articles on human nutrition and its impact on health and environment. In 2010 she received the title of Doctor Europaeus and PhD in Animal Production, Health and Food Hygiene in countries with a Mediterranean climate.