Today, Christians around the world celebrate Easter, the springtime holiday celebrating the Jesus Christ’s resurrection. According to the New Testament, the Resurrection occurred three days after the crucifixion of Jesus. A 40-day period of sacrifice, prayer, and penance leads up to Easter, and modern traditions in many Christian families include large hearty meals to mark the celebration.
While Easter Sunday and the days leading up to it remain a holy and prayerful time for many, more secular traditions have also become associated with the springtime celebration. Chicks and bunnies, candy and jellybeans, and decorated eggs in baskets are popular symbols of the Easter holiday.
In past years, we have explored if any data linked cancer with Easter staples, including eggs, ham, carrots, and lettuce. Today, in recognition of the Easter season, we will explore what is known about cancer risk related to a popular Easter main dish, lamb.
Lamb meat is grouped with other animal proteins as “red meat.” A rich source of protein and other nutrients like iron and vitamin B, red meat consumption is a common staple throughout most of the world. However, red meat also carries high levels of saturated fats. High consumption of red meats, including lamb, has been linked to heart disease and several types of cancer.
Many scientific studies investigate the impact of red meat on cancer risk, but much of this work lumps together all different sources. However, a recent study drilled down on the effects of different kinds of red meat on colorectal cancer by combining data from other published studies in a meta-analysis. This work showed that lamb consumption had only a weak association with an 11% increase in colorectal cancer risk.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies red meat as a Group 2A carcinogen. This indicates that read meat is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
There is a risk of cancer associated with the consumption of red meat. Fortunately, for all those preparing lamb for tonight’s Easter dinner, many doctors recommend limiting, but not eliminating, red meat consumption. While it remains unclear how much red meat consumption is required to increase cancer risk, most agencies recommend limiting the amount of red meat in your diet. Like many foods and beverages that we like to indulge in, moderation is key!
Sources: J Gastrointest Cancer
