Lots of people enjoy chicken, but some worry that eating it every day could lead to cancer or other serious illnesses. All the studies done on eating chicken and other poultry show that there’s no connection between munching on chicken and getting cancer. Actually, the more chicken you eat, the less chance you have of getting cancer. Many studies have discovered that eating chicken might even protect you a bit from getting different kinds of cancers like colorectal, prostate, esophageal, breast, blood (like leukemia), stomach, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
Oxford Study Links Chicken to Cancer
A recent study from Oxford University suggested that eating chicken might increase the chances of getting cancer. But hold on, this study was just presented as a brief summary at a science conference, so we need to take it with a pinch of salt until we get more details. It hasn’t been properly checked by other experts yet, which is something usually done to make sure the research is reliable before it gets published in a science journal. This checking process, called peer review, is super important because it helps make sure that what gets published is solid science that we can trust.
In terms of the study itself, it did show a possible link between eating chicken and some types of cancer, such as prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and malignant melanoma. However, the experts say that they need to do a lot more work before they can come to any firm conclusions. The study didn’t look closely enough at other things that might be involved, like living choices like drinking alcohol. So, it’s hard to say for sure what’s causing these results until we get all the specifics, and the work is reviewed by other researchers.
And here’s the kicker – this study doesn’t really explain how or why chicken might be linked to these cancers. Plus, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. We’ve got to consider it alongside all the other research that’s been done on this topic. Even though this study brings up some interesting points, we should not let it change our diets or make us worry too much about how much chicken we eat until we have more solid proof.
Chicken Linked to Higher Cancer Risk: Should I Stop Eating It?
The news often talks about studies that “stand alone,” which means they’re just one study. The headlines can be hard to understand or leave out important information. It is very important to see if these new results agree with what other studies have found. Also, we need to check to see if the study that’s getting a lot of attention is solid and can be done again by other scientists. Like, the new research on chicken and the risk of cancer might not be strong enough to tell us to stop eating chicken, even if the news stories say so.
Actually, cutting chicken from your diet because of a misleading headline could have bad effects on your health. Chicken can be good for you at different stages of life, like during pregnancy, when you’re a baby, a teenager, or as you get older. It gives you important vitamins and minerals that many Americans don’t get enough of, and it’s an affordable source of protein if you’re trying to control your weight. Plus, it helps keep your muscles and bones healthy and fits into diets that are good for your heart and help manage blood sugar.
References
- National Library of Medicine – Prospective investigation of poultry and fish intake in relation to cancer risk
- PubMed National Library of Medicine – Meat intake is not associated with risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a large prospective cohort of U.S. men and women
- National Library of Medicine – Poultry consumption and prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis
