Bacon Causes Cancer, Eat This Instead | Anna Herby, RD
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Physicians Committee
4.9 • 3.5K Ratings
🗓️ 5 March 2026
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Does bacon cause cancer? The evidence is overwhelming.
A new national survey conducted for the Physicians Committee reveals that nearly half of Americans are unaware that processed meat increases colorectal cancer risk. But the real story isn't just awareness — it's prevention.
In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast Chuck Carroll is joined by registered dietitian Anna Herby to explain:
✅ How eliminating processed meat can lower colorectal cancer risk
✅ Why fiber is one of the most powerful cancer-fighting nutrients
✅ The safest and healthiest alternatives to bacon, sausage, burgers, and deli meat
✅ What a "colon-protective plate" looks like
✅ How plant-based proteins support gut microbiome health
✅ Practical grocery store swaps you can make immediately
Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage are classified as Group 1 carcinogens. But replacing them with beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, and vegetables can significantly improve colon health and reduce inflammation.
Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults — but it's also one of the most preventable cancers.
Watch now to learn how small can make a big difference.
🧄 Cancer Survey
👉 https://bit.ly/MeatCancerSurvey2026
🍔 PlantStrong Burgers
👉 https://amzn.to/3MTQPTo
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
🧄 Chuck's Newsletter
👉 https://www.chuckcarroll.com
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Today, on the exam room. |
| 0:05.0 | There's really no safe amount of processed meat, even just a little bit, is going to increase your risk, like two slices of bacon or one hot dog. |
| 0:12.0 | And that was shown to increase risk by 18%. |
| 0:16.0 | And about half of the people did not know. |
| 0:19.0 | And then they found that two and three adults would support |
| 0:22.8 | implementing warning labels on process meets because of this colorectal cancer risk. |
| 0:32.9 | Welcome to the exam room podcast, brought to you by the Physicians Committee. Hi, I'm Chuck Carroll, raising health IQs, coast to coast, and around the world. |
| 0:42.6 | Hi to the exam room is listening in Birmingham, Alabama, Portland, Oregon, and Osaka, Japan. |
| 0:49.4 | Wherever you are, we appreciate you, helping to make the world a healthier place. |
| 0:53.8 | This is episode 18 of season |
| 0:55.8 | nine and number 717 overall now we have known for years that processed meat causes cancer |
| 1:04.0 | you see the world health organization has classified it as a group one carcinogen and they did that |
| 1:09.8 | more than a decade ago. |
| 1:11.6 | But a brand new national survey that we have conducted here at the Physicians Committee |
| 1:16.6 | still finds that about half of Americans have no idea that processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer. |
| 1:24.6 | Half. And here's another number that should get your attention. Just 50 grams |
| 1:30.5 | of processed meat per day, about two slices of bacon or just one hot dog. That is associated with a |
| 1:36.7 | nearly 20% increased risk of colorectal cancer. And so today, we are going to be breaking down |
| 1:43.4 | what our poll revealed. We're talking |
| 1:45.7 | about thousands of people responding to this and why so many of them had no idea about the |
| 1:52.6 | connection between what it was that they're eating and the risk of cancer. What actually |
| 1:56.9 | happens inside the body when you eat that deli meat, when you eat that hot |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Physicians Committee, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Physicians Committee and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.