Researchers have newly discovered a surprising and potentially significant reason why eating foods frequently cooked at high temperatures, such as red meat and deep-fried fare, elevates cancer risk. The alleged culprit: DNA within the food that's been damaged by the cooking process.
I think you misunderstood the article. About your points:
1 - “…potatoes, for instance, incurred less DNA damage at higher temperatures than meat for unknown reasons.”
It’s only at higher temperatures, and they only tried two kinds of meat and one veggie (potatoes).
2 - It doesn’t talk about lab-grown meat at all. It mentions lab-grown cells, which are
probably bacteriavarious types of human cells that they exposed to the heat-damaged DNA, and they absorbed the damaged DNA. (thanks @[email protected] for the correction)Also I don’t see how “being a vegetarian is healthier” is commonsense, but that’s besides the point. The article doesn’t reinforce any of that. It just says that:The study does reference another study about how low meat consumption can lead to less cancer. And they say this would support their findings of less damaged DNA in plant material, therefore causing less genetic damage.
In summary (see @[email protected]’s comment here for a much better one):
a) Food gets DNA damage when heated up (even boiling).
b) That DNA damage can be absorbed by lab-grown cells and also by mice
c) They speculate cancer and genetic diseases are more probable because of the damaged DNA.
They have a very small food sample size, and didn’t try many methods of cooking (they admit all of this). Which is to say: they have no idea yet how this impacts people, if at all.