Over the past few years, the intake of red meat has been the subject of heated debate. An excessive amount of red meat, despite the fact that it is an excellent source of protein and other nutrients, has raised an increasing amount of concern regarding the potential hazards. In fact research has linked high intake of red meat to an increased risk of various health problems including heart disease, certain types of cancer and even premature death.
As a result, many health experts and organisations recommend limiting the consumption of red meat and opting for other protein alternatives. But what’s the truth? In this article we will explore potential risks associated with excessive red meat consumption and other concerns and facts that need to be considered in this debate.
- What is Red Meat?
WHO organisation defines red meat as all mammalian muscle meat, including beef, veal, lamb, mutton, horse and goat. Within This, you also have categories of red meat: processed meat and unprocessed meat. Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation and smoking. Similarly, meat that isn’t cured and smoked or otherwise heavily processed refers to unprocessed meat.
What makes red meat red? Well, it’s all down to myoglobin red pigment found in muscle tissue. When we eat red meat, a part of this pigment can be processed in the gut into NOC, which can harm and potentially cause damage to the lining of our gut. The gut repairs itself by cell replication, and DNA damage can occur over time.
- Cooking process
Another potential mechanism to highlight is the heat compounds produced during the cooking process. Do you know the really nice crispy bits you get when you cook meat in high heat? They taste great, but they may actually be potentially harmful. Those crispy births produced by heat create certain chemicals which can also damage the gut and potentially increase the risk of cancer development.
- Nutritional Benefits
When it comes to unprocessed red meat, several health benefits are worth mentioning. First and foremost, unprocessed red meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein. Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues in the body as well as for the production of enzymes and hormones. Consuming unprocessed red meat can also help ensure that your body gets an adequate amount of protein. Another benefit of unprocessed meat worth highlighting is its enriched nutrient content.
Red meat is an excellent source of critical nutrients, such as heme iron, vitamin B12 (which is required for nerve function and blood production), zinc, and certain fatty acids, such as omega-3s found in fatty fish.
- Health Concerns
Not all red meats need a warning, but processed red meat. Higher processed red meat intake, which is greater than 150g a week, is associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular disease. Due to the high levels of saturated fat and heme iron that are found in red meat, consuming an excessive amount of it can raise the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, and some malignancies, most notably colon cancer. Consuming an excessive amount of something can also put a strain on the kidneys and perhaps contribute to inflammation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, even if red meat has nutritional value, too much of it especially processed kinds may be bad for health and raise the risk of several chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, several malignancies, and heart disease. Red meat(unprocessed meat) is “probably carcinogenic” and processed meat is even listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a carcinogen.
