Red meat contains numerous vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy and balanced diet. However, in recent years, its reputation has been severely tarnished by studies suggesting that red meat consumption may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. But isn't it really that bad for us?
Red meat intake in the United States has dropped dramatically over the last 40 years.
Red meat is defined as any meat that comes from the muscle of mammals. . This includes beef, lamb, goat, veal and mutton.
In many households, red meat is considered a food item consumed in different ways on a daily basis.
Red meat consumption in the last 10 years only. dropped about 10 kilos per person.
So why are most of us cutting out red meat?
-Switching to plant-based foods
According to the 2016 Harris Poll, in the USA About 8 million adults are vegetarian or vegan, with concerns about animal husbandry. However, millions more people appear to choose plant-based foods over meat-based products because they believe they are healthier. A 2016 Harris Poll found that 37 percent of U.S. adults "always" or "sometimes" eat vegetarian, with 36 percent citing reasons for preference.
A number of studies have found that a plant-based diet suggested that it was the way to go. In December 2016, a statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics claimed that a plant-based diet may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 62 percent and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
However, it's far from just red meat. Not only are there health gains associated with a plant-based diet, but there are also health risks that may arise from eating red meat. We examine what some of these risks are.
Cancer
Cancer is perhaps the most well-established health impact when it comes to red meat intake.
The World Health Organization published a report in October 2015 concluding that red meat is “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” meaning there is some evidence that it may increase the risk of cancer.
In addition, WHO states that "salting, curing, fermentation, processing or It stated that processed meats, defined as "meat that has been transformed through other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation", are "carcinogenic to humans", indicating that sufficient evidence exists that intake of processed meat increases the risk of cancer.
According to the WHO, processed meats are "carcinogenic to humans". A high intake of meat is associated with the risk of colorectal cancer.
To reach these conclusions, WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Working Group reviewed more than 800 studies evaluating the effects of red and processed meats on various types of cancer. reviewed.
They found that 50 grams each of processed meat containing pork or beef consumed daily increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.
IARC also found that red meat intake revealed a link between an increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic and prostate cancer.
Cooking red meats at high temperatures - for example by frying or barbecuing - is thought to contribute to an increased risk of cancer.
High National According to the National Cancer Institute, part of the Institute of Health (NIH), cooking meat at high temperatures can lead to the production of heterocyclic amines (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chemicals shown to increase the risk of cancer in animal models.
However, the report by WHO concluded that the role of HCA and PAH in human cancer risk is not fully understood and that there is not enough data from their review to determine whether the way meat is cooked affects cancer risk.
Kidney failure
Diabetes and high blood pressure are among the most common causes of kidney failure, but a July 2016 study suggests that red meat consumption may be a risk factor.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, reported a dose-dependent link between red meat consumption and the risk of kidney failure. For example, respondents in the top 25 percent of red meat consumption had a 40 percent increase compared to the lowest rate of 25 percent.
Our findings suggest that these people can still maintain their protein intake but are considering switching to a plant-based diet, but if they still choose to eat meat, fish/shellfish and poultry are better than red meat.
However, he noted that red meat has nutritional value and this is "to balance the risks and benefits of eating red meat and processed meat and to provide the best possible dietary recommendations." He stated that it should be taken into consideration in future research.
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