Well this research is comparing apples to oranges. It should actually compare with and without nitrates. Fermented meat like in sausages is not bad altogether;

Well this research is comparing apples to oranges. It should actually compare with and without nitrates. Fermented meat like in sausages is not bad altogether; for example in Andorra, people live longer on average while having sausage every day. Additionally, it is more sustainable to eat animals whole than just the pretty muscle meat. Sadly there is no Reinheitsgebot like for German beer, which precisely specifies allowed ingredients of sausages.