Should you put red meat in the pasture?
For years you have heard the advice: Choose soft proteins such as chicken, fish, and plant-based foods such as nuts and beans. But if you’re a steak lover, you’re probably wondering how red meat is most dangerous to you — if it tastes so good.
There is growing evidence of environmental and health risks associated with eating too much red meat. In fact, a major 2019 study published in TheBMJexamine found that changes in the consumption of red meat could contribute to the risk of premature death.
In the study, researchers analyzed the eating habits of more than 81,000 U.S. health workers, focusing on data compiled over a 16-year period.
The authors found that people who increased their intake of raw raw meat by at least three and a half servings per week for the first eight years were 9 percent more likely to die within the next eight years than those who had little or no change in their lives. eating red meat. When meat was minced (think bacon, hot dogs, edible meat, and so on), the risk was 13 percent higher. The main causes of death were heart disease, lung disease, and dementia. Researchers note that instead of red meat grains, vegetables, and other lean meats such as skinless chicken, eggs, or fish may be associated with a lower risk of death.
So, is it finally time to go for a cold turkey in that wet beef once and for all? Not at all.
Besides being high in protein, red meat is one of the best sources of dietary iron. That's especially good for pregnant or menstruating women with low blood pressure, says Jay Patel, MD, cardiologist and Hamilton Cardiology Associates and chairman of the St. Francis Medical Centerin Trenton, New Jersey.
All in all, vegetable protein is a healthy alternative, but most people can safely add a limited amount of soft red meat, which has not been processed to their diet, Drs. Patel advises. But it is important to make informed decisions about eating red meat because there are related concerns, including:
Fatty fat: Red meat — including beef, lamb, and pork — is high in saturated fat, which can increase your low-density lipoprotein, also called LDL or “bad” cholesterol. These fats can build up in your arteries and form plaques that may block blood flow. High LDL levels are a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
Remember, white meat is also high in fat. A 2019 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition questioned the long-standing wisdom that chicken and other poultry were better for your heart than red meat.
The researchers wanted to find out how different proteins can affect blood fats — including LDL cholesterol. Participants in the study were asked to follow three different high-protein foods for four weeks each: non-meat (consisting of beans, nuts, and soy), red meat, or poultry. Both meats used in the study were thinner and contained approximately the same amount of saturated fat.
Researchers have asked about half the population to eat high-fat foods consisting of things like fatty milk and butter. The other half is eating low-fat foods.
Not surprisingly, plant-based proteins raise cholesterol levels to a minimum. However, when it comes to meat diet, both red and white cholesterol raise the cholesterol level almost the same regardless of how much other saturated fats in the diet. It is important to note that people in the saturated fat group had significantly lower cholesterol than those in the low fat group regardless of the type of protein they ate.
The findings were highlighted by a separate, larger study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2020. The researchers found that participants who ate two or more meals a week of raw meat, minced meat, or chicken — but not fish — had a lower chance of progress. cardiovascular disease.
"It does not matter if you eat white or red meat — they are both high in fat and high in cholesterol," explains Patel. What makes the difference is how much meat you eat and the amount of saturated fat in it, he adds. One goose per ounce, most red meat is more saturated than chicken, fish, and other vegetable proteins.
TMAO: Eating red meat can cause heart disease in other ways. For example, bacteria in your digestive tract are involved in the production of a chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) from dietary lecithin, which is rich in red meat and other foods.
A study published in the European Heart Journal in 2019 found that daily red meat eaters, on average, had three times more TMAO in their blood than white meat eaters or people who got their protein from plants. The researchers also found that when meat eaters switched to white meat or plant-based protein sources their TMAO levels dropped significantly within a month.
Studies also show that there is a link between high levels of TMAO and heart disease and a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death.
"The current hypothesis is that TMAO may be the cause of the independent autoimmune inflammation of the coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke," Patel said. But he does not encourage you to go for a test. He says more research is needed to determine what level of TMAO may be threatening cardiovascular health and how it can be treated.
Heme iron: Red meat is associated with 5.4 percent of all colorectal cancers, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Further research suggests that the risk of developing this disease may increase for those who eat more than 18 red meat a week, reports the American Institute for Cancer Research. Meanwhile, minced, processed, smoked, and other minced meats, including dairy, bacon, and hot dogs, are also linked to increased risk of stomach upset.
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