Numbers Game: Answer

An eight-year-long National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health study that followed 500,000 adults ages 50 - 71 -- and was recently published in the Public Library of Science Medicine Journal -- found that the top twenty percent of red meat consumers had a 20 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than those who consumed lower amounts.

According to the American Cancer Society, "researchers aren't certain what it is about red meat that might influence cancer risk. The iron and fat it contains may be culprits. For processed meat, the salt, smoke residue, and nitrates and nitrites used as preservatives may play a role."

I would also add the fact that meat-centric diets tend to be low in fiber -- a crucial weapon in reducing one's risk of many cancers, especially colorectal.

In any case, if you choose to consume red and processed meats, it is highly recommened you limit consumption to no more than two servings (a total of six ounces) a week.