EATS: Is deli meat actually that bad for you?

Whether meat is good or bad for you depends on who you're asking. But when it comes to deli meats, the evidence is clear. Dr. Nigel Brockton, Director of Research for the American Institute for Cancer Research, explains:

• Processed meat refers to any meat - including pork, lamb, poultry - that's been salted, fermented, smoked, or cured for flavor or preservation. Think: hot dogs, sausages, bacon, pepperoni, corned beef, salami - all that tasty stuff.

• According to Brockton, “We see a 4 percent increase in the risk of cancer even at 15 grams a day, which is a single slice of ham on a sandwich." It's not easy, but for our long-term health, we need to be avoiding such foods.

• Note: Though the link is not as strong, unprocessed red meat is also shown to increase cancer risk.