People should limit the amount of red meat they eat to the equivalent of three slices of ham, one lamb chop or two slices of roast beef a day, Government advisers have warned.
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), published recommendations designed to cut the risk of bowel cancer.
Evidence suggests red and processed meat increases the risk and that people who eat 90g or more a day should cut back.
Cutting down to the UK average of 70g a day can help reduce the risk, said the study from SACN.
Red meat contains substances that have been linked to bowel cancer. One compound in particular, haem, which gives red meat its colour, has been shown to damage the lining of the colon in some studies.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommends limiting red meat consumption to 500g a week of cooked weight (about 700g to 750g uncooked).
And it says people should avoid processed meats altogether because of the even higher risk of bowel cancer.
The charity estimated 3,800 cases of bowel cancer could be prevented ever year if everyone ate less than 70g of processed meat a week. Some 1,900 cases of bowel cancer could also be prevented through cutting red meat consumption to under 70g per week.
Interim chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said: “Following simple diet and lifestyle advice can help protect against cancer. Red meat can be part of a healthy balanced diet. It is a good source of protein and vitamins and minerals, such as iron, selenium, zinc and B vitamins.
“But people who eat a lot of red and processed meat should consider cutting down. The occasional steak or extra few slices of lamb is fine but regularly eating a lot could increase your risk of bowel cancer.”
Source : The Press Association