Earlier this year, we reported on how the common sandwich—dripping with mayo and stacked with processed meats—is killing you. (See “THE AMERICAN WAY: FAT, DUMB, AND STUFFED WITH SANDWICHES” 21 March 2023.)

One researcher called today’s sandwiches “heart bombs.”

Health officials in New York announced last week more concerns about processed meat. These meat products have been tied to several health issues ranging from Type 2 diabetes to stroke and are being phased out of public school and hospital lunches in New York City, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In 2019, the New York City Council, citing a 2015 report from the World Health Organization, passed Resolution 238 that called on the Department of Education to eliminate processed meats in public schools. The resolution goes into effect in 2025.

“For decades, fathers and mothers have been sending children to school with low fat chicken, Turkey deli meat thinking they were doing good. These foods are toxic,” Dariush Mozzaffarian, cardiologist and professor of nutrition and medicine at Tufts University, told the paper. 

The paper said health officials warned about processed meats that are cured, smoked, or preserved by being loaded with sodium. The level of sodium in some processed meats is about 400 percent higher than the level in unprocessed meats, the report said. 

A 2013 study published in BMC Journal, noted that sodium and preservatives in processed deli meat can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Processed meats also contain nitrates that can create carcinogenic chemicals when ingested. 

The World Obesity Atlas said the obesity rate among boys under 18 is expected to jump 100 percent by 2035. Girls are expected to see a 125 percent increase in the same time period.

TRENDPOST: When it comes to trend forecasting, all things are connected. You cannot live your best life if you are not doing all you can to eat healthy foods and get a sufficient amount of exercise. (See “RESEARCHERS SEE LINKS BETWEEN CANCER AND ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS” 7 Feb 2023,  “WANT CANCER? KEEP EATING ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD” 7 Feb 2023, “EAT ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS AND LOSE YOUR MIND” 13 Dec 2022, and “MORE THAN HALF OF HUMANITY WILL BE FAT, OBESE BY 2035” 7 Mar 2023.)

Unfortunately, corporate profits still take precedence over public health and The WSJ report noted that processed meat sales in the U.S. jumped to $29.4 billion in 2022, which is up from $22.9 billion in 2018.

Francesco Branca, the director for nutrition and food safety at the World Health Organization, said the UN agency will likely release updated recommendations to put limits on the consumption of processed meats by 2025, according to The WSJ. 

The Trends Journal has reported extensively on how governments were quick to tell the public to take the COVID-19 vaccine and wear masks, but did little to stop major food conglomerates from feeding the public poison that increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. (See “SEE LINKS BETWEEN CANCER AND ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS” 7 Feb 2023, “WANT CANCER? KEEP EATING ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD” 7 Feb 2023, and “GET FAT, GET SICK: FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION CAN BRING ON NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE” 24 Jan 2023.)

The desire for a BLT —with actual meat—could open the door for innovations in the food-processing industry and The New York Times noted that Finnebrogue—a Northern Ireland-based company—introduced “Naked Bacon” that uses salt and fruit extract to keep the meat intact.