Bacon gives you cancer and wine is good for you: The truth about those food studies

Bacon. About as bad for you as a spot of sunshine. Photo / Getty

Last year, the hearts of bacon fans were broken when the World Health Organisation declared, based on several studies, that eating bacon leads to cancer.

And recently, researchers from Curtin University debunked past findings about the benefits of a daily tipple as probably incorrect.

Rather than taking each new piece of information as fact, we're left to decide which new study we should believe: Perhaps you've taken in the one that deems your favourite food good for you?

As opposing reports pop up daily in your news feed, consider the difference between what the study says and what makes an exciting news story.

Not all of us are science-types, so there has to be a way to hook the masses on the most interesting bits of a study.

Here we take you through what those studies that caught your eye were actually saying.

What grabbed your attention:Your breakfast is killing you
Let's get real:Bacon: About as bad for you as sitting out in the sun for a while

A review of 800 studies found bacon and processed meats contribute to cancer. Conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the findings can be considered pretty solid.

While the reports did say eating bacon ups your risk of cancer, they didn't actually note how high the risk is. Or how much bacon you could eat before falling in to the danger zone.

What grabbed your attention: Chocolate is good for you
Let's get real: Chocolate tastes good

A 2013 study found that dark chocolate helps increase calmness and contentedness. Sounds believable, right?

But what if we told you the study was funded by Barry Callebaut, an international chocolate and cocoa manufacturer? Feeling a little more skeptical?

While the study did reveal that cocoa contains polyphenols - antioxidants that boost happiness - few of these make it through the process required to turn cocoa into what we know as chocolate.

Dark chocolate with over 70 per cent cocoa will give you a bit of a boost. But with anything less, the calories and sugar added in will cancel out the polyphenol's health benefits.

What grabbed your attention: Wine is good for you
Let's get real: Wine studies still need work

Similar to chocolate, studies on wine have found its antioxidants can be beneficial to your health.

"Drink up, wine's good for you" does make for an appealing headline.

But take a closer look and you'll find the devil in the detail: That nightly tipple of a $12-on-special drop from New World may offer little to none of the aforementioned goodies.

That's because wine's beneficial properties vary wildly depending on the age, variety, vineyard and production techniques.

The other issue is that the study methods aren't exactly solid.

Where wine drinkers have been compared to non wine drinkers, some in the later group were actually reformed drinkers suffering alcohol-related illnesses.

And what of the moderate wine drinkers who exercise and have a healthy diet? Surely they're better off than the non-drinkers eating fast food in front of Netflix anyway?