A Fresh Perspective On Including Red Meat In Your Diet

Key Takeaways:

• Recent analysis suggests that reducing red meat or processed meat consumption might not significantly lower a person’s risk of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.
• A panel of international experts, analyzing top-notch studies and clinical trials, concluded that most adults can continue consuming red and processed meat at their current rates.
• The research has faced criticism due to perceived biases, and it did not resonate with key cancer and heart associations, which maintain their advice to limit consumption of red and processed meats.
• The findings do not take into account ethical or environmental reasons for abstaining from red and processed meat, underlining that there is evidence showing high consumption of red meat contributes to a higher carbon footprint.
• According to Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, those who eliminate meat altogether from their diets are said to generally be healthier than those who eat meat infrequently.

In the deepest corners of their minds, steak, burger, and bacon admirers often grapple with a nagging suspicion: their beloved meals may be harming their health. However, a comprehensive new analysis suggests that these concerns may be put to rest.

Cutting down on red meat or processed meat might not significantly lower a person’s risk of cancer or heart disease, the reviewed evidence concluded. “After examining the research, we cannot definitively state that consuming red meat or processed meat contributes to cancer, diabetes, or heart disease”, stated Bradley Johnston, a senior researcher and associate professor of community health and epidemiology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Reactions To The Research

The findings did not resonate with key cancer and heart associations. The fact that researchers considered people’s values and preferences while drafting their recommendations might have unintentionally biased the results, suggested Marji McCullough, a nutritional epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society.

An international panel of experts, using the assembled evidence, has issued new dietary guidance stating that most adults can continue consuming red and processed meat at their usual rates— a suggestion that clashes with almost all other current guidelines.

Understanding The Findings

Johnston defended the deductions. “This is not ‘just another study’ on red and processed meat,” he said. “We focused on five high-quality systematic reviews to guide dietary recommendations.” He insisted that the panel’s advice on red meat is “far more transparent, robust and reliable” than other guidelines.

The entire set of five evidence reviews, along with the expert panel’s guidance, was published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a journal of the American College of Physicians.

On average, adults in North America and Europe consume red meat and processed meat approximately three to four times a week.

Studies and Clinical Trials

However, a different narrative emerged when Johnston and his team amalgamated high-quality studies and clinical trial findings. No significant association was found between meat consumption and the risk of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer among the 12 clinical trials and 54,000 participants analyzed.

Observational study data showed a small reduction in risk among those who ate three fewer servings of red or processed meat per week. However, the researchers felt that the association was very uncertain.

A 14-member panel of experts from seven countries concluded that adults could continue to eat red and processed meat at their current levels.

The review focused solely on health considerations, without considering ethical or environmental reasons for abstaining from meat.

Considering Environmental Concerns

Other research has demonstrated that consuming red meat intensifies one’s carbon footprint, thus contributing to global warming. “We aimed to clarify the health effects evidence, while acknowledging concerns related to animal welfare and the environment,” explained Johnston.

The National American Cancer Society still suggests limiting the consumption of processed meat and red meat to decrease cancer fatality rates.

The American Heart Association also retains its disapproval for red and processed meat. There’s substantial evidence showing how heart health can be improved by reducing saturated fat, says Alice Lichtenstein, an expert with the organization and a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston.

A Balanced Approach

In contrast, Dr. Neal Barnard, founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, argues that big dietary changes yield big results. If you’re eating meat less than once a week, your health risks will probably be similar to those of someone who eats meat more frequently. However, both groups are less healthy than those who eliminate meat altogether.

The Healthy Protein Choice

For more information about healthy choices for protein, click here.