Red meat is one of the most controversial foods in the history of nutrition. Nowadays several scientists and nutritionists argue that eating red meat is doing more harm to consumers than good.
In the past, several people worldwide used to consume red meat on a daily basis, remaining in excellent health. The consumption of red meat nowadays is different from what it used to be, as back in the day animals roamed free and ate grass, insects and other food which is natural to them.
The cows that are killed for meat nowadays are born and raised in factories, fed grain-based food and injected with several hormones and antibiotics. Meat products are also highly processed. So what happens when you stop eating red meat?
Decrease the risk of heart disease
Red meats have more cholesterol and saturated fats than chicken, fish and vegetables which can lead to heart disease. When the body processes high cholesterol foods it produces a compound known as trimethylamine N-Oxide. According to a 2020 study compiled by the British Medical Association, it resulted that cutting down on red meat can lower your chances of heart disease as it generally increases body fat.
Non-consumption of red meat improves your diet
Giving up red meat is a great opportunity to reduce consumption of saturated fat. According to dietitian Trista Best, one of the benefits of cutting down on red meat is that one can consume more phytonutrients. These are plant-based compounds which are beneficial to the human body as they act as antioxidants, meaning they protect cells from damage by free radicals produced when the body metabolises nutrients. The elimination of free radicals can help decrease chronic inflammation which is associated with various health problems such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Lowers your chances of getting type 2 diabetes
Researchers found that people who increased their consumption of red meat over time also spurred on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by forty-eight percent. Due to the saturated fat in red meat, it may increase insulin resistance, which has the effect of making blood sugar rise to unhealthy levels.
Reduces chances of cancer
An increase in red meat consumption, particularly processed foods such as hot dogs or bacon are associated with colon cancer. Scientists have found that the reason why red meat could trigger cancer is heme iron. Heme iron plays a role in the production of cell-damaging cancer-causing compounds.
