Is Red Meat Bad for You ?

        The famous biblical miracle that feed thousands, was five loaves and two fishes not two goats or lambs. Its not because of an abscence of goats or sheep, afterall Jesus Christ was born in a manger surrounded by sheep. Let's take a clue from the Holy Bible.

Over the past decade several scientific studies have been carried out on the possible adverse health effects of eating red meat. There is conclusive evidence that red meat is really bad for you.

Red meat causes cancer

In October , the research division of the World Health Organization caused a stir when it announced that bacon, sausage and other processed meats such as "corned beef" cause cancer and that red meat is "probably carcinogenic".

How Healthy are Processed Meats

This includes all meat and meat products that have been salted, cured or processed in anyway to preserve it or make it more palatable.

Our dear old breakfast bacon and sausage, hot dog with mustard sauce, Scotish hagis, German frankfurter, Italian salami or "corned" beef fly right out of the window. Like smoking there are no safe consumption limits. How sad!

For whole red meat cuts, chemicals in meat cooked at high temperatures increase cancer risk. These chemicals are;

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

These are chemicals formed when muscle meat, including beef, pork, fish, or poultry, is cooked using high-temperature methods, such as pan frying or grilling directly over an open flame.

HCAs are formed when amino acids sugars, and
creatine - a substance found in muscle, react at high temperatures.

PAHs are formed when fat and juices from meat grilled directly over an open fire drip onto the fire, causing flames as in suya.

These flames contain PAHs that then adhere to the surface of the meat. PAHs can also be formed during other food preparation processes, such as smoking of meats.

In laboratory experiments, HCAs and PAHs have been found to be mutagenic, they cause changes in DNA that increase the risk of cancer.

HCAs are not found in significant amounts in foods other than meat cooked at high temperatures. These HCAs can cause cancer, but marinating is said to reduce the amount by as much as 99%. 

What’s even better is when you add rosemary since this herb can up the potential of anticancer properties of your food.

PAH is found in other charred foods, as well as in cigarette smoke and car exhaust fumes.

The current advice is get less than 10 percent of daily calories from saturated fats and meats that are high in saturated fat . 

Red meat causes heart disease

The basic point is that eating red meat causes heart disease, but studies referenced show that a chemical called TMAO - trimethylamine n-oxide, a byproduct of gut bacteria eating lots of things including red meat, gets into the blood stream and theoretically increases the risk of heart disease.

Despite the headlines, what studies really show is that disordered gut bacteria cause heart disease. This is the TMAO effect.

The danger pathway 

Meat contains an amino acid called carnitine.

Gut bacteria only found in meat eaters use carnitine to fuel and multiply.

TMAO is a byproduct of that process.

TMAO helps cholesterol get into artery walls.

TMAO levels are a predictor of heart disease.

Red meat can increase Blood Cholesterol

Red meat especially pork and beef have a high fat content. Eating more than the recommended amount can increase your blood fat levels.

If you must eat red meat choose grass feed lean cuts. Avoid fat dripping barbecues. Boil or microwave before frying. Chew well before ingesting. Rare better than well done.

High protein Substitutes,

Fish            Seafood            Eggs

Chicken      Turkey               Pheasant

Frogs           Beans               Lentils

Yogurt         Nuts

The plant based high protein substitutes have the added advantage of high fibre which is great for good gut microbione.

Thanks for being here and goodluck on your journey to optimal health and wellness. I hope you enjoyed reading this piece. 

I invite you to check out more of my over a hundred health and beauty articles that may interest. Please use the search button at the top of the page. See you in the next one. Ciao. God-isLove.

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Ref:  American National Cancer Institute.