Will the Real Bad Boy Please Stand Up

Want to hear the good news or the bad news first? The good news? Okay, recent studies have deduced that unprocessed meat is not a candidate for causing higher heart disease and diabetes risk. Hurray! The bad news, eating processed meats such as hot dogs, deli meats and bacon can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes. There's a modicum of good news however inside their dire processed meat warning; by eating processed meats in moderation you can reduce your risk factor by a considerable percentage. And there's that magic word again, moderation. By eating processed meats only once or twice a week you have a better chance of staving off certain health risks while still getting to enjoy your bacon, hot dog or sausage. But wait there's more, when probed for further info researchers confided that the real "bad boy" in this particular study wasn't meat but the extra sodium; a disappointment to the anti-meat brigade, a "told you so" from those pushing federal enforced sodium restrictions, and a "well duh" from the rest of us. Contrary to what the food police believe, most consumers are fully aware that moderation in all things is the key. So how many research dollars do we have to waste before scientists figure that out?