Processed Meats and Sugary Drinks Are Worse Than You Think, According to New Research

This may be a bit of a bummer as we head into peak barbecue season, but if you’re focused on your health, you may want to skip the hot dogs, bacon, and sugary drinks. A new systematic study of existing research points to an increase in cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other serious illnesses in people who regularly indulged in these goodies.

So should you step away from the hot dogs and stock up on salad? Here’s a look at what this new study actually found, and some advice on what to do if you’re looking to reduce your health risks.

What This Study Found

This study, published in Nature Medicine, took data from more than 100 different studies involving millions of people that assessed their diets and certain chronic illnesses—including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer—and basically crunched the numbers to see if there was a link between regular intake of trans-fatty acids, processed meats, and sugary drinks and these diseases. The “Burden of Proof” meta-regression analysis found that including these foods on a regular basis was associated with an increase in the risk of developing these diseases—especially processed meats and sugary beverages. Here’s what the numbers revealed.

Processed meats

Processed meats have been salted, smoked, cured, or otherwise preserved, and include things like hot dogs and sausages, bacon, and some cold cuts. Eating any processed meats increased your risk of type 2 diabetes by an average of 11% and colorectal cancer by 7%.

Sugar-sweetened beverages

This category includes sodas, of course, but even energy drinks, fruit drinks, and yes, sugar-laden coffee and tea concoctions. In the study, drinking any sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with an 8% average increase in type 2 diabetes risk, and a 2% increase in risk of ischemic heart disease.

Trans fatty acids

Trans fatty acids can occur naturally in some dairy products, but the real issue is their use in processed foods like baked goods, fried foods, and even microwave popcorn. Eating any trans fatty acids increased the risk of ischemic heart disease by 3%.

How Worried Should You Be About Processed Foods?

That all depends on how much of these foods you’re eating. “The headlines are alarming, but the actual results are more nuanced,” says Theresa Gentile, MS, RD, CDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The research does find statistically significant links between eating processed meats, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, and developing conditions like type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colorectal cancer, but the association is weak.”

That said, it’s probably not too shocking that these types of foods aren’t the best for you. “Public health guidelines generally advise limiting these foods,” Gentile says. “These should be ‘sometimes’ foods, not everyday foods. There is cause for concern, especially with habitual intake of these foods, but people who eat them occasionally don’t need to worry.”

How to Eat Healthier in Light of This Study

If you’re a hot dog fan, giving them up entirely can seem like a hard sell. But there are alternatives that can reduce your exposure to the saturated fats, preservatives, and nitrates that can be potentially dangerous to your health. “Balancing foods like these with a diet rich in fiber from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is a good way to do this,” Gentile says.

When you’re in the mood for a hot dog or other processed meat, look for nitrate or nitrite-free alternatives, Gentile says. “Vegan or plant-based hot dogs can be a better choice, but look for ones made with whole ingredients, like pea protein or lentils. These will be lower in saturated fat and won’t contain nitrates.” Other options include nitrate-free chicken or turkey sausage, and turkey bacon or Canadian bacon—it’s a slightly better choice than pork bacon, but it’s still processed.

As for sugary beverages, reducing the amount of sugar can be a matter of making your peace with lower-sugar alternatives, such as seltzers, fruit-spiked water, and unsweetened teas and coffees. Artificial sweeteners have also been associated with some negative health effects, so they may not be the best alternative.