High intake of red meat or processed meat is associated with increased risk of colon cancer. On the other hand, eating white meat (chicken) is not linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer and may even lower the risk of getting it. It was thought that rats would get more colon cancer if they ate beef or bacon and less colon cancer if they ate chicken. One hundred female Fischer 344 rats were given a single injection of azoxymethane (20 mg/kg i. p. ), then randomized to 10 different AIN-76-based diets. Five diets were changed to have 20% less fat and 20% more protein, and five other diets were changed to have 20% more fat and 20% more protein. Five different types of meat (beef, chicken with skin, olive oil, and bacon) were used to make the food. Meat diets contained 30% or 60% freeze-dried fried meat. The diets were given without restrictions for 100 days. Then, the number of crypts per aberrant crypt focus (ACF) was used to measure colon tumor promotion. The number of ACFs was almost the same in all groups, except for the rats that were fed bacon. The amount of fat and protein or where it came from had no effect (p = 0). 7 between 8 groups by analysis of variance). In contrast, the ACF multiplicity was lower in rats fed a diet with 20%200% bacon compared to rats fed a diet with lard and casein (p=0.02). 001). The water intake was higher in bacon-fed rats than in controls (p < 0. 0001). These changes happened in the amounts of iron, bile acids, and total fatty acids in feces based on diet, but there was no link between these amounts and the ACF multiplicity. This study does not support the idea that colonic iron, bile acids, or total fatty acids can cause colon tumors. What the results show is that beef does not help ACF grow in rats and chicken does not protect against colon cancer. A diet high in bacon seems to protect against cancer, possibly because bacon contains 5% sodium chloride and significantly increased the rats’ water intake (6.
The second most common type of cancer death in Western countries is colorectal cancer. This is more than ten times higher than the rate in rural areas of less wealthy countries (1). Diet is supposed to influence the colorectal cancer etiology, but the precise causative factors are yet unknown. International ecological studies show a strong correlation between meat consumption and the colorectal cancer incidence (2). Most case-control studies (22 out of 29) show that people who eat a lot of meat have a higher chance of getting colorectal cancer (reviewed in ref. 3). However, cohort studies of meat intake and colon cancer have been less consistent. For instance, Willett and his colleagues found that both women and men who ate a lot of meat had a higher risk of colon cancer (4, 5). Bostick and colleagues, on the other hand, did not find a significant link between eating meat and getting colon cancer in Iowa women using the same questionnaire (6). European prospective studies also show no significant association between meat intake and colon cancer (7–9). Other than that, two cohort studies (4, 8) show that eating a lot of processed meat is linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer. Two long-term studies also show that eating fish or white meat is not linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer and may even lower the risk of getting it (4, 5). Animal studies on meat have received little attention compared with epidemiological studies (3). There are only seven published studies that looked at how meat or meat fractions affected the development of colon tumors in rodents that were first exposed to chemical carcinogens (10–16). The results of these studies don’t support the idea that red meat has a specific effect on the growth of colon cancer, unless it has a lot of heterocyclic aromatic amines (16,17). A study has not yet been done on how white and processed meat affect colon cancer in rodents used in experiments.
The point of this study was to look into whether a diet high in red meat or processed meat makes you healthier and whether a diet high in white meat makes you healthier when you are on a high-fat diet. We used the rat/azoxymethane (AOM) model of experimental colon carcinogenesis. The study endpoint was the multiplicity of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), as a measure of ACF growth. We stopped the study after 100 days of feeding, which was long enough to measure how much the food helped the ACF grow (18, 19). Some ACF are dysplastic lesions of colonic mucosa thought to represent the earliest precursors of colon cancer (19). We also measured the amounts of certain substances in feces, like iron, fatty acids, and bile acids, because these substances may be linked to colon cancer in people who eat a lot of meat. The results suggest that beef or chicken meat does not modulate the growth of ACF in rats. An animal diet high in bacon may help protect rats from colon cancer. This is likely because bacon contains 5% sodium chloride and rats drink more water when they eat it.
Female Fischer 344 (F344) rats were obtained from Iffa-Credo (Lyon, France) at 4 weeks of age. One hundred animals were kept in cages made of stainless steel wire with a drop-bottom. The temperature was 22°C, and there was a 12-hour light and 12-hour dark cycle. The animals had free access to water and standard laboratory food (UAR, Villemoisson, France). After one week of acclimatization, the rats were initiated, between 9 and 11 AM, with a single i. p. injection of azoxymethane (Sigma, St. Quentin, France) at a dose of 20 mg/kg in NaCl 9g/l. After seven days, they were put into ten groups at random (n = 10) and given the experimental diets. Body weights were monitored weekly throughout the study, and food and water intakes were measured at periodic intervals. They were killed by cervical dislocation between 8 and 11 AM, 105–107 days after the carcinogen injection and 98–100 days after the start of the experimental diets. The abdominal fat was excised and weighed. The colons were removed and fixed in formalin for ACF scoring.
The 100 F344 rats were put into ten groups at random after the experiment began. They were fed dry powdered diets based on a modified AIN 76 formula (UAR, Villemoisson, France). Five groups received a relatively “low fat” diet containing 14% fat and 23. 5% protein. Five other groups received a very high fat diet containing 28% fat and 40% protein. Fat represented 32% of calories in “low fat” diets, and 51. 5% in high fat diet. These values are below and above the average human intake in affluent countries (40%). As part of the diet, fat and protein came from either dry-powdered cooked meat (making up 30% or 60% of the diet) or olive oil (from Carrefour in France) and vitamin-free casein, or lard and vitamin-free casein (from UAR in Villemoisson, France). Two sources of fat were used to make two control diets: olive oil and lard. The oil from olives was picked because it has been shown to be “neutral” in studies of colon cancergenesis, meaning it does not increase or decrease the risk of tumors. Lard was picked because it has the same mix of fatty acids as bacon and is in the middle of beef and chicken. A nearby grocery store (Carrefour Purpan, France) provided the beef (hamburger Carrefour), chicken (with skin, Gastronome), and bacon (Herta). The 3 types of meat were cooked in an oven for 15 min at 180–185°C. Each dish contained 500 g of meat on a thickness of 1 cm. There may be 1–15 ng/g of heterocyclic amines in beef, 15–65 ng/g in bacon, and 40 ng/g in chicken when cooked in this way (17). After cooling, there were minced, frozen for 24h at −20°C, then freeze dried. After looking at how much fat and protein were in each type of meat (see values in, notesb–d), casein was added to meat diets to make them 23 5 or 40% protein targets. The amount of fat was changed by adding lard to diets for beef and chicken with chicken fat.
Rats are omnivores and can eat a wide variety of foods As pet owners, we often want to share tasty snacks like bacon with our furry friends. But is bacon safe for rats to eat? Let’s take a closer look at whether rats can eat bacon.
An Overview of a Rat’s Diet
Rats are opportunistic eaters by nature. In the wild they will eat just about anything they can find including meats, grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. As pets, rats do best on a balanced diet consisting primarily of high-quality rodent pellets or blocks. This provides the nutrition they need. Fresh fruits and veggies make great supplemental snacks a few times per week. Protein sources like cooked eggs, chicken or fish can also be offered in moderation.
Is Bacon Safe for Rats?
While rats are attracted to the smell of bacon and will gladly accept it if offered, bacon is not recommended as part of a rat’s regular diet. Here’s why:
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High in Fat – Bacon is very high in fat, containing 30 grams or more per serving. Too much fat is unhealthy for rats and can lead to obesity.
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High in Salt – Bacon is cured with salt, containing over 350 mg of sodium per slice. Too much salt is problematic for rats and can cause hypertension.
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Nitrates – Bacon often contains sodium nitrite as a preservative. In large amounts, nitrates may be carcinogenic. Better to avoid exposing rats when possible.
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Sugar – Many bacons contain sugar as one of the curing ingredients. Rats have no need for added dietary sugar.
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Choking Hazard – The fatty nature coupled with the thin shape of bacon makes it a choking risk for rats.
Can Rats Have a Taste of Bacon?
Giving a rat the occasional tiny nibble of bacon as a treat is unlikely to cause harm. We’re talking a piece the size of half your pinky fingernail or less. But this special “treat” should comprise only 1-2% of their weekly calories at most. It’s better to offer healthier lean proteins like chicken more often instead.
The bottom line is that bacon is not a recommended part of a pet rat’s diet due to the high fat, salt and sugar content. Tiny tastes once in a while are OK, but do not make it a regular habit. There are much healthier foods to choose when looking for tasty treats for your rats. Focus their diet instead on a quality pellet mix combined with vegetables, fruits and moderate amounts of proteins like cooked chicken, fish, or eggs. This will keep your rats happiest and healthiest in the long run.
Healthy Treat Alternatives for Rats
Here are some examples of healthier treat options for your rats:
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Fresh fruits – blueberries, banana, mango, melon, apple
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Cooked lean proteins – boiled chicken, egg, plain yogurt
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Veggies – broccoli, carrots, sweet potato, shelled peas
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Whole grains – brown rice, quinoa, couscous, oats
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Herbs – parsley, cilantro, basil, mint
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Seeds – sunflower, flax, chia, hemp
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Unsweetened cereal – Cheerios, bran flakes, shredded wheat
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Dried fruits – raisins, cranberries (chopped to prevent choking)
By focusing your rat’s treats and snacks on more wholesome options like these, you can still spoil your rats sometimes without compromising their health. Rats can eat just about anything, but not everything is good for them. Be a responsible pet parent by making healthy choices for your rats most of the time.
Assay of Bile Acids and Iron in Fecal Water
Fecal water was prepared by reconstituting freeze-dried feces by adding to 1 g of freeze-dried feces 0. 35 ml of distilled water (20). The samples were mixed together, then heated at 37 °C for one hour. After that, they were centrifuged at 40,000 g for ten minutes. The supernatant was removed and stored at −20°C until use.
A colorimetric method based on the steps of Persijn (21) was used to measure the total iron in feces water (Kit 565-C, Sigma Chemical France).
Bile acids concentration was determined using a fluorometric enzymatic assay based on the technique of Lapre (20). All reagents for bile acid assay were obtained from Sigma Chemical (St. Quentin, France). The reaction mixture was made of 10μl of appropriate dilution of fecal water (substrate source), 1240μl of 0. It had 250μl of the “3-alpha-Flu” solution, which was made up of 67 mM KH2PO4, 55 mM NaOH, 4 4 mM sucrose, 1. 8 mM NAD, 10mM Na4P2O7-10H2O, 0. 13% Bovine Serum Albumin, 714 U/l diaphorase and 0. 05mM resazurin. To this reaction mixture, 10 μl of 3alpha HydroxySteroid-deshydrogenase (enzyme) 2. 5U/ml was added. After 15 min, the fluorescence was measured at 580nm under a 565nm excitation. The intensity of fluorescence was proportional to the bile acid concentration.
Fecal Weight and Moisture Content
Fecal weight was not significantly different between groups of rats (data not shown, p=0. 15), but it was correlated with the water intake water (r = 0. 7, p<0. 001, n = 99). Feces of rats given the bacon diets were more humid than feces from the other groups. Rats that were fed 20% bacon had twice as much water in their poop as rats that were fed lard (28% and 2015, respectively). 0001). There was no significant difference between rats that were fed 20% bacon and rats that were fed lard (both 19%20%C2%B1%205% and 2014%20%C2%B1%202%, p=0). 1). The percentages of water in feces were not different between the other groups.
5 Things you should NEVER feed to your rats | Most toxic foods for rats
FAQ
What meats are safe for rats?
Can rats have pork?
Can rats eat hotdogs?
Can rats have bacon on Reddit?
Can rats eat bacon?
Rats can eat small amounts of bacon, but it is very high in fat and salt, so you have to be careful that you do not give them too much of it. A very small piece of bacon on special occasions will not harm your rat, but be careful not to give it to your rat too often. Can rats eat sausages?
Can rats eat meat?
Just like humans, rats are omnivores. This means that they’re capable of digesting meat as well as plant-based foods. So yes, rats can eat and digest meat. However, just because they can eat something, does not always mean that they should. There are several kinds of foods that rats can eat, but that they really shouldn’t. Is meat one of them?
Can rats eat ham?
Yes, rats can eat ham in small quantities. Do be careful though, because ham is relatively high in salt, which is used to cure and flavor the meat. Rats should not have high amounts of salt in their diet, so their ham intake should be very limited. A small piece of ham is okay, but it should not be something they eat every day or in large amounts.
Can rats eat raw onions?
Raw onions: Thanks to their strong smell, rats generally dislike and will avoid raw onions. Store all pet food, including dog and cat food, in airtight containers or bins immediately after feeding times. Rats are opportunistic feeders, so any exposed food can attract them into your living spaces.