Is meat healthy?

That is a loaded question. There are nutrients in meat, but guess what? You can get all those nutrients from non-animal sources.

Every few years, a new report or a new influencer promotes the consumption of meat. They claim it is healthy, but that is not true, as you can see from past examples, here or here or here or here.

Whether you choose to eat meat or not is your decision, but like all decisions, it comes with consequences, and you should be able to make an informed, educated choice.

Let’s start with the pros of eating meat, and there are not that many. You might like the taste, it is the easy choice. Meat is readily available, there are many inexpensive options, and it is an abundant source of iron (more on that later.) But you may want to consider the alternatives.

Seven reasons to reduce or eliminate meat from your diet.

1. Eating red or processed meat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

University of Cambridge researchers studied almost 2 million people for ten years and found that eating 50 grams, about two slices of ham, daily increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 15%.

Two significant studies link type 2 diabetes with meat consumption. One published in The Lancet studied almost 2 million adults from 20 countries and found that “consumption of meat, particularly processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes across populations.”

The other study, published in Nature Metabolism, studied over 200,000 American adults for 30 years and found a fascinating link between heme iron and type 2 diabetes. Heme iron is found in animal products; plant-based sources contain non-heme iron. People who ate the most heme iron had a 26% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They also found that heme iron accounted for over half of the type 2 diabetes risk associated with unprocessed red meat. People who consumed plant-based sources of non-heme iron had no elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.

The researchers also found that those consuming heme iron from animal products had elevated risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including C-peptide, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, leptin, and markers of iron overload, as well as lower levels of beneficial biomarkers like HDL cholesterol and adiponectin.

So if you are worried about type 2 diabetes, next time you order a hamburger, eat the bun, and ditch the burger.

2. Increased risk of colon cancer.

Another study found that 50 grams of processed meat increases the risk of colon cancer by 18% in young adults, and with colon cancer rates increasing in younger adults, researchers wanted to find a simple way to assess risk.

Senior author and gastrointestinal oncologist Suneel Kamath, MD, says,

 It’s impractical to apply our care models for those over 60 to younger adults simply because we cannot give everyone in the system yearly colonoscopies.

Dr. Kamath and his colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic found that diet is the main factor in younger adults being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Dr. Sangwan, director of the Microbial Sequencing & Analytics Resource Core, states,

Researchers, ourselves included, have begun to focus on the gut microbiome as a primary contributor to colon cancer risk. But our data clearly shows that the main driver is diet.

While the researchers explain that changing your diet is the easiest way to prevent early-onset colon cancer, they found that consumption of red and processed meat was contributing to higher rates of disease. In particular, overconsumption of foods high in the amino acid arginine, found in red and processed meat, was linked to younger adults with colon cancer. 

3. Even small amounts of meat increase the risk of early death.

A study of 96,000 Seventh Day Adventists proved that it doesn’t take much meat to affect your health. Most Adventists are vegetarians, and those who eat meat only eat very little. 90% of those studied ate less than 50 grams a day. Their research showed an increase in cardiovascular disease and cancer in those who consumed meat.

Co-author of the study, Michael Orlich, MD, PhD, says

Our findings give additional weight to the evidence already suggesting that eating red and processed meat may negatively impact health and lifespan.

4. Red meat increases the risk of breast cancer.

U.S. researchers found that red meat intake in early adulthood corresponded with a step-by-step increase in breast cancer rates. Women with a higher intake of red meat were associated with a 22% increased risk of breast cancer overall, with every additional daily serving of red meat being associated with another 13% increase in risk of breast cancer.

5. Meat increases the risk of early death in women over 50.

Women who eat fried chicken and fried fish increase their risk of an early death by 13%. While more than 30% of North American adults eat fried food every day and it is well studied that these dietary habits increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. U.S. researchers investigated the connection between eating fried food with an early death from any cause.

They used data to assess the diets of 106,966 women, 50 to 79 years old, between 1993-1998 to 2003 and found that one serving of fried chicken daily or one serving of fried fish was related with a 13% increased risk of death from any cause (chicken) and heart disease (fish.)

6. What else is in meat?

Besides the obvious, protein, heme iron, and saturated fat, what else is in meat? Depending on where you live, the US, Canada or Europe, there could be some unwanted extras. First, the US government is planning to eliminate food inspections, so that will be a problem, sooner rather than later. Here are some other additions that you will find in the U.S.

Ractopamine, used in up to 40% of pig farms, is banned in Canada and Europe. Ractopamine increases lean muscle growth and water retention but is also linked to health effects, including increased anxiety and behavioural problems.

Chlorine. Chicken in the U.S. is chlorinated to make up for unsanitary farming.

Growth Hormones. U.S. dairy farmers use artificial hormones to increase milk production. Canada and the European Union ban this practice.

Shit. Shit is in your meat if you live in the U.S. Canada prohibits the feeding of chicken manure to cattle. It is acceptable if you live in the U.S. some experts believe it may be the reason bird flu has been found extensively in cattle. Chicken litter (the meat industry’s euphemism for chicken waste, including feathers and sawdust) also contains salmonella and E. coli, once again highlighting the need for food inspections. In Europe you can feed chicken shit to pigs, but not cows.

7. The environmental cost.

Eliminating meat from your diet has significant environmental benefits. Recent research shows that eating a vegan diet reduces emissions, water pollution and land use by 75%. The global food system has an immense climate cost, using 70% of the world’s fresh water and 75% of the land available. You can make a difference by eating meatless meals.

Graphic by CulinarySchools.org

Food choices have health consequences. By eating more plants, you get all of the advantages and no downside. Eating more meat reduces life span and health. Many people have made the switch to a plant-based diet for their health. Every meal that revolves around eating more plants is a healthier choice for everyone.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla