Dangers Of Red Meat Consumption: Should Or Shouldn’t We Eat It? 

Red meat cuts such as beef, pork and lamb are many people’s favorite. It is undeniable that they are delicious, juicy, tender and flavorful, compared to white meat like chicken, turkey and fish. What are the serious dangers of red meat? 

As the holiday season is already here, a festive meal also includes several red meat cuts. As the new year 2023 is already nearby, you might want to know the exact dangers of red meat to acknowledge and limit these harmful threats.

1. Dangers Of Red Meat Consumption 

Source: The Roaming Pork

Despite the fact that it is favored by so many of us, the dangers of red meat have long been discovered by scientists and nutritionists. The biggest issues of high red meat consumption are cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Cardiovascular diseases consist of stroke, coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease. This is due to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol which is present in red meat and is also found in fried foods and baked goods. 

Source: American Lamb

When there is too much LDL cholesterol in your body, this cholesterol will create plaque on blood vessels. Colon cancer and rectum cancer are highly related to red meat. These chemicals in red meat might transform the body’s cells and increase the risk of cancer cell development. Therefore, if your family is closely related to these kinds of diseases, you should avoid take in this type of meat as much as you can. 

2. Why Should We Avoid Red Meat? 

Source: Serious Eat

It is not like you should completely cut down red meat out of your diet. Red meat is still very enjoyable and tasty. It is also a great source for protein and iron which are both beneficial to your health, especially if you are a regular exerciser or a heavy lifter. They are extremely nutritious and should still be in your daily diet. However, it is recommended to use as a side dish. If you want to eat red meat regularly, the portion size is 70 grams per day. Therefore, eating it occasionally is much more ideal because you might have around 150 grams to 200 grams. In general, red meat should be eaten every 3 or 4 days. 

3. Negative Side Effects Of Not Eating Red Meat 

Source: My Chicago Steak

Even though there are some dangers of red meat, it is still a vital source for nutrients which are protein and iron, as stated above. When you cut down red meat completely, energy loss will happen because of iron and protein shortage. Apparently, iron from red meat is the most consumable to the human body. Fortunately, it is not the only source for iron. You might still get iron from iron-rich foods such as kidney beans, chickpeas, nuts, dried fruit, soy beans, seafoods, spinach and broccoli. 

To sum up, red meat is an amazing food source because of the nutrients that it gives. However, the amount that should be consumed is worth considering. It is similar to any other type of food which might be harmful if taken too much. The best diet is a balanced and sufficient one with all food groups and nutrients.