Processed Meats linked to Higher Risk of Stroke

The largest study to date on the relationship of stroke to red meat consumption suggests higher intake of processed meat, but not fresh red meat, is associated with an increased risk for stroke, especially cerebral infarction (when there is a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood to the brain). The big deal about this study is how large it was. Researchers in Sweden followed 40,291 Swedish men aged 45–79 y who had no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer at the beginning over the course of 10 years. The study speculates that the preservative, nitrite and sodium contents of processed meat led to the higher incidence of stroke, but they could not say this definitively.

Well, this is no surprise is it? As with all foods, fresher, less processed, closer-to-the-source is always your best bet for nutritious eating!

(Photo credit: MDK Media)