Red meat – such as beef, lamb and pork – can form part of a healthy diet. But eating a lot of red and processed meat probably increases your risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer.
That’s why the Department of Health advises people who eat more than 90 grams (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day to cut down to 70 grams.
Red meat is a good source of protein and provides vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc.
But evidence shows that there is probably a link between eating red and processed meat and the risk of bowel cancer. People who eat a lot of these meats are at higher risk of bowel cancer than those who eat small amounts.
If you eat more than 90g of red or processed meat a day it is recommended that you cut down. Ninety grams is the equivalent of about three thin-cut slices of roast beef, lamb or pork, where each slice is the about the size of half a piece of sliced bread. It is recommended that you cut down to 70g, which is the average adult daily consumption of red and processed meat in the UK. This could help reduce your risk of bowel cancer.
Other healthier lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a healthy weight, keeping active and not smoking can also help reduce your risk.
According to UK dietary surveys, four in 10 men and one in 10 women eat more than 90g of red and processed meat a day.
How much red and processed meat should we eat?
The guidelines are for adults. To read advice for children, see below.
Adults
If you eat more than 90g of red or processed meat a day, it is recommended that you reduce your intake to 70g per day, which is the average UK consumption.
You can do this by eating smaller portions of red and processed meat, and by eating these meats less often, swapping them for alternatives.
If you eat more than 90g of red and processed meat on a certain day, you can eat less on the following days or have meat-free days, so that over time your consumption is not more than 70g per day on average.
Children
Children over five should eat a healthy, balanced diet, as shown, in the proportions on the Eatwell guide. This should include meat or other sources of protein. Children do not need as much food as adults, and the amount they need depends on their age and size.
For help with portion sizes for children, see Change4Life: Me-size meals (PDF, 482kb).
For babies and children under five, get advice on introducing them to white and red meat and other solid foods.
Portion sizes and cutting down
These examples of the weight of various cooked meat products can help you to find out how much red and processed meat you eat. The amount in grams represents the cooked weight:
- A portion of Sunday roast (three thin-cut slices of roast lamb, beef or pork, each about the size of half a slice of sliced bread): 90g
- A grilled 8oz beef steak: 163g
- A cooked breakfast (two standard British sausages – often sold in packs of eight that weigh 1lb or 454g and measuring around 9cm long – and two thin-cut rashers of bacon): 130g
- A large doner kebab: 130g
- A 5oz rump steak: 102g
- A quarter pounder beefburger: 78g
- A thin slice of corned beef: 38g
- A slice of black pudding: 30g
- A slice of ham: 23g
Cutting down
You can cut down on red and processed meat by eating smaller portions, and by eating them less often.
These swaps can help you to cut down without making radical changes to your diet.
- Breakfast: if it’s a full English, swap either the bacon or sausages for extra mushrooms, tomatoes or toast.
- Sandwiches: swap one of your ham or beef sandwiches for a non-red meat filling, such as chicken or fish.
- Pie and chips: swap your steak pie for chicken pie.
- Burger: swap your quarter pounder burger for a standard hamburger. Better still, choose a chicken, fish or a vegetable burger for a change.
- Sausages: swap to having two pork sausages rather than three, and add a portion of vegetables.
- Sunday roast: swap your roast beef, pork or lamb for roast chicken.
- Steak: swap an 8oz steak for a 5oz steak.
- Casseroles, stews and curries: include more vegetables, beans and pulses, and use less red meat.
- Swap lamb or beef mince for turkey or vegetarian mince in your spaghetti bolognese, lasagne and chilli con carne.
- Have a meat-free day each week. Swap red or processed meat for fish or shellfish, or have a vegetarian meal.