there are some kinds of "meat" that really should be eaten very rarely, if ever. This includes anything processed, like pepperoni, sausage, deli cuts, etc. Most of the these products contain nitrates, which have been shown to cause cancer. If you're unsure, just check the ingredients list. eating lean cuts of beef, pork, or chicken wont kill you, although consuming too much red meat might cause stomach cancer.

But really, the problem is that as americans we eat way too much, and everything we eat is fried, so if you eat small portions and eat tons of vegetables and whole grains, eating meat wont kill you.