Smoked meats have high levels of carcinogens. The carcinogens are created when food cooks at a high temp. For smoking, in particular, they are created when fat drips on to the heat source and then the resulting carcinogens end up in the meat [0].
Cured meats contain nitrates or nitrites, both of which have been associated with an increased risk of cancer.
Cured meats contain nitrates or nitrites, both of which have been associated with an increased risk of cancer.
0: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-smoked-meat-bad-for-yo...