Should I Avoid Red Meat? Exploring The Controversy & The Science
Red meat tends to be at the forefront of so many conversations in nutrition nowadays. On one end are the vegans, vegetarians, and some environmentalists, and on the other end are the enthusiasts of keto, carnivore, and paleo diets. Somewhere in the middle are proponents of the Mediterranean diet and other flexitarian diets.
But pushing “the best diet” debate to the side, is red meat actually healthy?
While red meat has been a staple in many diets for centuries, in recent years there has been a growing concern regarding the potential health risks associated with consuming red meat. Headlines and media reports have sparked controversy, with some claiming that red meat is a significant risk factor for chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Today we’ll explore the controversy surrounding red meat and how it relates to your health to answer the question should I avoid red meat? We’ll look at the research on the subject and evaluate the evidence that supports or refutes the claims made in the media. We’ll also discuss the importance of looking beyond the headlines and understanding the nuances of scientific research to make informed decisions about our dietary choices.
What Is Red Meat?
Red meat refers to the flesh of mammals such as cows, pigs, sheep, and goats that is typically darker in color than poultry or fish. The term "red meat" comes from the fact that the meat is usually red or dark brown in its raw state, due to the presence of a protein called myoglobin. Myoglobin is found in the muscles of animals and is responsible for transporting oxygen to the muscles, which gives red meat its characteristic color.
Two Types Of Meat
There are two main types of meat: processed and unprocessed.
Unprocessed meats are those that have not undergone any processing beyond basic preparation, such as cutting, grinding, or seasoning. Examples of unprocessed meats include fresh cuts of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, duck, and venison among others.
Processed meats have undergone additional processing beyond basic preparation, such as smoking, curing, salting, or adding preservatives, flavorings, chemicals, and colorings. These meats have higher levels of sodium and nitrates. These are added to extend the shelf life and improve the taste. Examples of processed meats include hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and deli meats.
It’s important to note that there are traditionally processed meats like bacon and sausage can be unprocessed or minimally processed. When choosing the healthiest variety, look for “uncured” or “no nitrate/nitrite added” and check the ingredients.
Okay, but is red meat healthy? Let’s look at the biochemistry first.
Nutritional Profile
The nutrients in red meat will vary on the type of meat and the way it’s cooked. Here are some general ranges for the nutrient content of a 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of cooked beef:
Protein: 18-25 grams
Total fat: 6-16 grams (depending on the cut and marbling)
Saturated fat: 2-7 grams (depending on the cut and marbling)
Iron: 2-3 milligrams
Vitamin B12: 1-2 micrograms
Zinc: 2-3 milligrams
Selenium: 12-15 micrograms
Vitamin B6: 0.3-0.5 milligrams
Niacin: 3-5 milligrams
Phosphorus: 150-200 milligrams
The Red Meat Controversy
The origin of the "read meat is bad for you" claim goes back to 1980's with the lipid heart hypothesis.
The lipid heart hypothesis, also known as the diet-heart hypothesis, is the idea that a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol contributes to the development of heart disease by increasing blood cholesterol levels.
Ancel Keys, an American scientist, was one of the early proponents of this hypothesis. However, his research has been criticized for several reasons. One of the main concerns is that Keys selectively chose data from the Seven Countries Study, a study he conducted, that supported his hypothesis and ignored data from other countries that did not support it. Additionally, later studies have failed to consistently find a strong link between saturated fat intake and heart disease risk.
As a result, the lipid heart hypothesis has been called into question and many experts now believe that other factors, such as inflammation and insulin resistance, may be more important contributors to the development of heart disease.
Recent studies, however, have not totally cleared up this concern and, in fact, many studies have muddied the waters even more. When we begin to analyze the studies of unprocessed meat, however, it seems to be more bark than bite.
What The Science Says
How healthy red meat is depends on whether you’re eating unprocessed or processed meat. Research shows that eating processed meat can cause poor health outcomes. It’s best to avoid or limit these types of meat.
With that out of the way, let’s look at the research on unprocessed meats.
A review published in BMC Medicine, looked “to examine the association of red meat, processed meat, and poultry consumption with the risk of early death.” They analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) which includes 448,568 men and women between 35 and 69 years old at baseline.
The review showed an increased risk of death (due to cancer and cardiovascular disease) due to eating processed meat while unprocessed meat showed no such association. The researchers “estimated that 3.3% of deaths could be prevented if all participants had a processed meat consumption of less than 20g/day.” Of note, poultry didn’t have a correlation to all-cause mortality.
In another study, published in 2015 in PLoS One, researchers found a link between processed meat and colorectal cancer with "little evidence that higher intake of unprocessed red meat substantially increased risk of CRC."
Finally, a "burden of proof" study looked at the link between unprocessed meat and six health outcomes: colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes, Ischemic heart disease ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and breast cancer. The evidence relied on 55 reports which provided information on nearly 40 prospective cohorts and millions of individuals. In sifting through this incredible amount of data, the researchers came up dry in finding a smoking gun linking unprocessed red meat to any of these six health outcomes. In turn, they either found "weak" or "non-existent" evidence.
The Verdict
Should I avoid red meat? The question remains too vague and needs to be parsed for clarification. Your body interprets unprocessed red meat and processed red meat in two very different ways so it’s only worth answering the question in these ways if you’re looking for answers related to your health.
According to the research, is eating processed red meat bad for the health of the average person? Yes.
According to the research, is eating unprocessed red meat bad for the health of the average person? No.
If you want to eat red meat but you’re still hesitant, due to years of misinformation, then go right to the concern: your body. Talk to your healthcare provider and use a combination of subjective (How do you feel?) and objective (blood test) measurements.
What I Do
I eat unprocessed red meat. My family and I always consider the quality of the food we eat, including red meat. We regularly have organic grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork, and our Saturday morning uncured bacon.
It’s delicious, nutritious, and versatile, and it has only had a positive impact on our health (both subjectively and objectively).
Where To Buy The Good Stuff
Since the quality of the meat is so important, it’s critical to find good sources. Butcher Box and US Wellness Meats are two of the most reputable options for high-quality meat.
It’s worth considering buying meat and other food from a local farm, however, talk to the farmer about their methods of raising animals before making a purchase.
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