The researchers placed men and women each into five groups based on how much red meat or processed meat they ate. The groups with the big-time meat eaters and processed meat eaters had the most deaths. The groups with the lowest red meat and processed meat consumption had the least number of deaths. The researchers concluded that about 11 to 16 percent of deaths could be prevented if everyone cut back their red meat and processed meat consumption to the level of the lowest study groups, or about 9 grams protein for every 1000 calories consumed (for reference, a hamburger patty has about 20 grams protein).
Some things to think about with a a study like this:
- The groups that ate the most red meat and processed meats also had the highest smoking rates, although the researchers did their best to factor smoking out of the final statistics.
- The groups with the least red meat consumption also ate the most fiber, fruits and vegetables, which we know are good for your health, irrespective of whether you eat red meat or not.
- White meat consumption also included fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids
- If the researchers are right, they could be underestimating things, because the general population of the US eats worse than the members of this study group.
So does mean you should never touch another filet mignon? No, the increase in deaths in this study was modest, not super-huge, however, you probably should cut back on the red meat and change your cooking methods. Red meat isn't all bad for you -- it's a good source of zinc, vitamin B12 and iron. But red meat and processed meats are high in saturated fats that clog your arteries and increase inflammation. Cooking meat at high temperatures or char-broiling until it turns black creates heterocyclic amines, N-nitroso compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are cancer causing agents. Cured or smoked processed meats usually contain nitrites that are also converted to N-nitroso compounds. Oh, and the iron in the red meat makes the conversion to N-nitroso compounds even worse.
Okay, so you love your red meat and you don't want to give it up, what do you do?
- Limit red meat consumption to 2 to 3 times per week
- Cut back on portion size for red meat -- one serving is about the size of a deck of cards
- Look for cured meats that don't contain nitrites
- Eat more fish, seafood or vegetarian meals
- Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables
- Follow a Mediterranean Diet
I have to wonder if they’ve done studies wherein they compared grass-fed beef and lamb and wild game to grain-fed beef. Grass-fed animals are lower in fat, they contain high amounts of LNAs (a type of Omega-3), and ruminants (beef and bison) contain Conjugated Linoleic Acid, a powerful antioxidant.
I’m certainly not saying that just because it’s grass-fed, it’s super-duper-healthy, but in moderation, it seems like it’s a perfectly acceptable dietary addition, at least from what science I’ve seen so far.
The grass fed beef and game meat definitely has a better fat profile. It would be interesting to see if there is much of a difference when you consider the formation of n-Nitrosamines and the other carcinogens, which would probably also occur in the grass-fed beef due to cooking at high-heat or the fact that grass-fed beef still has a lot of heme and iron.
Sure would, wouldn’t it? I also remain unconvinced that the statistics aren’t somewhat skewed – the sorts of folks who are buying and eating grass-fed beef are the sorts of folks who are highly conscious eaters anyway, which generally translates to diverse protein consumption. How would they do a double-blind lifelong study without those factors?
Anyway, on my semi-limited budget, forcing myself into eating grass-fed only automatically translated into eating beef way less frequently, so it’s probably a win-win all around.
Good observation, Megan. That’s one thing that makes nutrition research so difficult. Like in this study, people who ate less red meat ate more fruits and vegetables and less overall fat. Those choices may be just as or maybe more important than the selection of red meat.
I just read another article that red meat was really good for you….not that I like it..
More healthy for us..
so what do we believe?
Any studies suggesting red meat is good for you were probably published by the meat industry. When it comes to white meat that meat should definently be from free range grass fed animals.
I wish they would remember that bison, which we raise and eat, is also a red meat, but, with less fat and calories than chicken, it is also healthier for you . Just because it’s red, does not mean it’s unhealthy.
I used to not get beef or pork much since its very expensive, but now I get it from a church and I can now afford more of the beef and pork, I like the beef much more, but I still love ham and chicken, turkey which sadly still have added salt and the like to the bad extent which is likely needed, but they need to reduce the sodium, which is why I HATE sodium nitrate in ‘Processed’ meats since when you remove all or most of this, you reduce the sodium content which is not good for me although I take a Vitamin to control my bp when I have too much salt. I am often hearing about meat which is very safe, but its very very very expensive, and I’m on food stamps and government assistance so I can’t afford to buy that. I am sick of everything you eat, drink can kill you so this is part of ‘fake health’ media. The Salmon and E-Cola seems to be in everything and the media is feeding paranoid in all who care about there foods for them and if they have kids, there health also. I am sure many think in the store, this that and the other are bad for me and so they eat as they would have before or eat none and less and less food is available to me and others which is worse in those people affected by foolishness of NYC aka Stock Market and the low income on assistance who have to be more careful. Now all meats have the bad fats and not all of the cheaper and affordable is as overpriced as the others. I am sorry this is so long.
On the surface, eating red meat may seems healthy. But in fact, it is just eating of animal corpse, how healthy can that be…? We are actually losing more health than what we actually receive.
I’d like to see a study done with red meat and no processed meat.
We all know processed meat will kill you, but don’t lump red meat into all this.
I completely agree with Jimmy Turner. It is well known that processed meats contibute to cancer, so to have a study that does not take that into consideration is no good because it will affect the results. Plus, the study said MODEST increase and everyone is acting as if eating beef will cause immediate death. AND last but not least I wonder if that study factored in familial deaths? To be thorough, they need to see how genetics might play a role in the deaths.
It’s just the way “scientists” went into hissyfit overdrive when Atkins sisters didn’t have cholesterol problems. Meat eaters ALL!!! The only reason Atkins people agreed to reduce red meat recommendations was to shut the harpies up. Let’s do science, not junk science people.
This particular study grouped processed with the red meat. Not a balanced study. Megan, great point….let’s see a study with the balanced grass fed beef which carries nutrients one cannot find in abundance in other proteins. B12, B6, zinc and valuable amino acids and lest we not forget the ever valuable CLA, an essential fatty acid only found in that of pastured beef.
One would be their healthiest with a diet of grass fed beef, wild cold water fatty fish, eggs, veggies and berries with a few nuts and seeds thrown in as condiments.
Is sodium nitrate bad for you? According to this atical “facts about sodium nitrate” from about.com, it’s not. “the National Academy of Sciences, the American Cancer Society and the National Research Council all agree that there’s no cancer risk from consuming sodium nitrite.” It’s actually good for you. Wow! Have we been wrong all these years?
http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/seasoningflavoring/a/nitrates.htm
There’s fast food red meat and then there’s the red meat you cook at home with your own cooking oil.