A new study by the in Sweden may have you re-thinking your breakfast. Researchers found from a comprehensive review a positive association between consumption of processed foods like bacon and sausage and pancreatic cancer.
The findings are based on over 6,000 pancreatic cancer cases. The common link was processed foods. Researchers noted a 19 percent increase in cancer with daily consumption of 50 g of processed meats. That’s about 1.5 oz. The data are disturbing on two fronts. First, pancreatic cancer is a particularly danger form, with a survival rate of 5.5 percent. Second, the amount consumed is so small that the risk could easily increase based on current portion sizes.
The culprit appears to be sodium nitrite. Processed meats walk a fine line between preservation and public health. Sodium nitrite is part of that risk. Before you despair, you can still enjoy your breakfast sausage. You just have to make it.
This from Saveur.com couldn’t be easier. Take a little ground pork and some spices, and you have a great-tasting sausage. A little apple in the recipe can make for a more savory treat. Another thing you can do is to avoid products with sodium nitrite. 
A healthy lifestyle means taking the time to make good choices. You have a limited calorie budget. Make the most out of it.
