Ham Sandwiches Can Kill You!

Just read a report from a leading cancer charity warning parents not to giver their kids ham sandwiches. What annoys me is that the idiots who sent out the press release are paid for out of charitable donations.

Trust me, I'm a (former) biochemist - ham sandwiches will not give you cancer. Nor will bacon butties.

I for one won't be giving any of my money to the WCRF, they are obviously more concerned about pushing us towards a nanny state and less concerned about looking for a cure for cancer. Nothing in moderation - that includes ham sandwiches, cigarettes and alcohol, and probably most recreational drugs - will kill you. My daughter eats ham, and bacon, and ice cream, and she's as fit as a butcher's dog.

Anyway, here's the story -


Parents should not give their children ham sandwiches in their packed lunches, a charity has warned.

Youngsters need to get into the habit of avoiding processed meats like ham, salami, hot dogs and bacon, it said.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), there is "convincing evidence" that eating processed meat increases the risk of bowel cancer.

While there is no specific research on eating the meats in childhood, the charity said the evidence in adults was too strong to ignore.

Children should therefore adopt a healthy eating pattern from the age of five and avoid processed meat, it said.

Marni Craze, children's education manager for the WCRF, added: "If children have processed meat in their lunch every day then over the course of a school year they will be eating quite a lot of it.

"It is better if children learn to view processed meat as an occasional treat if it is eaten at all."

The WCRF is also urging parents to avoid lunchbox fillers that are high in fat and calories.

Foods such as sugary drinks can cause weight gain, and obesity in adulthood is linked to cancer, it said.

The charity warned that parents may be misled by packaging or where a product appears on a supermarket shelf or website.