By now, you may have stumbled across a few headlines declaring that eating a small amount of chicken may increase your risk of cancer. If not, heads up: you will soon.

These stories are based on new research published in the journal Nutrients, which concluded eating a typical amount of chicken on a weekly basis will cause your cancer risk to skyrocket. Oh, and it might raise the odds of dying prematurely, too.

The findings go against pretty much everything we know about eating chicken, which is generally regarded as a high-quality protein source. With that, it’s fair to have questions. Here’s why an oncologist and dietitians aren’t scrambling to recommend that you abandon poultry based on this study.

What Did the Study Find?

For the research, scientists from Italy’s National Institute of Gastroenterology analysed dietary and health data from 4,869 Italian adults over the span of 19 years. The mean age of the participants was 65.4 years, and the oldest subject was 105 years old.

The dietary data included information on the amount of poultry, red meat, and overall meat the participants ate. During the study period, 1,028 died. The mean age of people who died was 81.09, while it was slightly lower – 79.94 – for men.

The researchers discovered that, of the people who died during the study period, 41% of their weekly meat intake was made up of rabbit and poultry (and within that category, poultry made up 29%).

People who ate more than 300 grams of poultry a week were more than twice as likely to die from a digestive cancer than those who ate less than 100 grams of poultry weekly. People in this poultry-loving group were also 27% more likely to die during the study period than those who had less than 100 grams a week.

The researchers concluded that eating more than 300 grams of poultry a week is linked with a ‘statistically significant increased mortality risk both from all causes and from gastrointestinal cancers. The risk is higher for men than for women.’

So, based on their conclusion, you might think that the chicken breast you just cooked up is trying to give you cancer or kill you.

The Big Caveats

If that conclusion seems a bit intense, you’d be correct. We connected with an oncologist, dietitian, and nutrition researcher, and all pointed out some obvious flaws and caveats to this study.

Let’s start at the beginning. ‘This is an observational study, it doesn’t prove causation,’ says Wael Harb, M.D., oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, CA. Meaning, while the study found a link between eating chicken and cancer, it didn’t prove that a chicken habit will actually give you cancer (or kill you).

The findings sound important, but without understanding things like the baseline health risks of the participants and other potential factors like their overall diet, lifestyle, or socioeconomic status (all of which could influence cancer risk), it’s hard to make big conclusions, says Sylvia Crowder, Ph.D., a dietary and nutrition researcher in the Department of Health Outcomes and Behaviour at Moffitt Cancer Center.

It’s also possible that something else was happening behind the scenes, like people who ate more poultry had other habits that raised their risk of cancer, like a low fibre intake or a smoking habit, says Scott Keatley, R.D., co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

There’s even a chance that people who were in the early stages of gastrointestinal cancer ate more poultry because it’s light and easy to digest, Crowder says. ‘The higher poultry intake could be a result of these early symptoms and not the cause of cancer, which could skew the study results,’ she explains.

Finally, Crowder points out that this is just one study, and other research suggests that chicken is good for you in moderation. ‘Replication is key in science,’ she says.

The Theory on Why Chicken Could be Linked to Cancer

It all comes down to the way the chicken is cooked. ‘When meat is cooked at high temperatures – think: grilling, pan-searing, or frying – it can create compounds that damage DNA and may increase cancer risk,’ Keatley says. These are called heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

‘They form when muscle meat is cooked in ways that cause browning or charring,’ Keatley says. ‘The study did not look at cooking method, so it is possible the link they saw was really about how the chicken was cooked, not the chicken itself.’

If the same people who eat a lot of poultry usually grill or fry it, it could explain the higher risk, Crowder says. Note: this doesn’t mean you’re destined to get cancer if you eat grilled or fried chicken, either – it’s just that there’s a stronger association here.

Why You’re Fine to Continue Eating Chicken

The U.S. dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests having poultry one to three times a week, and experts say this recommendation stands.

In the UK, the NHS makes suggestions for healthier choices when buying and cooking meat, for example, limiting processed meat (eg, types of sliced chicken designed to go in your sarnies), but focuses, instead, on the risks of red meat overconsumption. The average amount of red meat you eat each day should be no more than 70 grams, according to the NHS. While there are no explicit limits for white meat like chicken, the general consensus matches that of the guidelines over the pond.

‘Don’t panic or overhaul your diet based on one observational study,’ Crowder says. ‘Instead, this is a reminder of the importance of overall dietary patterns. Variety, moderation, and whole-food choices remain key.’

Still, she adds that ‘no single food, especially one like poultry that’s generally considered lean protein, is likely to make or break your health in isolation.’

If you want to play it extra safe, Keatley recommends paying attention to how you cook your chicken. ‘Cooking to a safe internal temperature is important, but excessive browning, blackening, or deep-fat frying can create harmful compounds,’ he says. ‘Just as important, make sure the rest of your diet includes vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. That full picture matters more than any one food.’

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