Red Meat is bad for your health
Remove Red Meat from your diet or reduce the consumption of Red meat.
Eating Red meat and processed meat increases your risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Substitute animal based protein like red meat and poultry, with Fish and plant based protein. Plant based protein provide quality and healthy protein, healthy fats and fiber.
Red meat and poultry are high in bad saturated fat which is bad for your health.
Red meat increases the risk of cancer
Consumption of Red meat is classified as a Group 2 carcinogen.
A carcinogen is an agent with the capacity to cause cancer in humans. A Group 2 carcinogen is a probable carcinogen and could increase your risk of cancer.
Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk
There is evidence to suggest that Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may increase the risk of cancer. These chemicals have been found to cause changes to DNA and may increase the risk of cancer.
Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals which are formed when you cook muscle meat at high temperatures. Example, when you grill directly over an open flame, or pan fry. Also, cooking methods that expose meat to smoke contribute to the formation of PAH.
For those who are not able to stop eating meat, you can try to reduce the amount of HCA and PAH in the meat.
Ways to reduce the formation of HCA and PAH in cooked meat
- Continuously turn meat over on a high heat source will substantially reduce the formation of HCA.
- Trim or remove all visible fat to reduce drippings into the flame.
- Rubbing your meat with fresh or dried herbs on both sides before grilling. Use herbs like basil, mint, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Also, adding garlic, onion and pepper to meat before grilling.
- Avoid your meat having direct exposure to an open flame or a hot metal surface. You can line the grill with foil and make little holes in the foil to allow drippings to go down.
- Pre-cook meat in a microwave oven prior to exposure to high temperatures. You can reduce the cook time, or the time the meat is in contact with high heat.
- Refrain from using gravy made from meat drippings.
- Eating plenty of vegetables, which are high in antioxidants can help protect against cancer.
Red meat increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes
Animal foods like Red meat, processed meat and poultry increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Reduce animal based protein and substitute with Fish, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Red meat increases the risk of Cardiovascular disease
Animal foods like Red meat and processed meat increase your risk of heart disease.
Reduce animal based protein and substitute with Fish, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Some Examples of Red Meat
- Beef
- Lamb or Mutton
- Goat
- Pork
- Venison
- Veal
Examples of good fish which are high in Omega 3 fatty acids
- Salmon (preferably, Wild caught salmon)
- Albacore Tuna
- Mackerel
Examples of Plant Based Protein
- Beans (especially black beans, Kidney beans and Pinto beans)
- Nuts (Almonds, Macadamia, Pistachios, Walnuts, Cashews, Brazil nuts, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Pecans)
- Seeds (Hemp, Pumpkin, Sunflower, Flaxseed, Sesame, Chai)
There are some studies that suggest that eating a lot of eggs is linked to an increased risk in Type 2 Diabetes
Eggs also have a lot of health benefits. This is why we are usually advised to limit our egg intake to 4 egg yokes a week.
A personal view: I believe this study since my blood glucose and Hemoglobin A1C was increasing significantly when I started eating 1 egg a day. This happened in-spite of my significant decrease in carbohydrates and sugar. As soon as I stopped eating the eggs, my blood glucose stopped increasing.
For more information on the negative effects of red meat and it being a Group 2 carcinogen, please click on the following links below
References
American Cancer Society Causes of Cancer
3/16/21
Processed Meat is Carcinogenic
Try to remove processed meat from your diet.
Eating processed meats increases your risk of cancer.
Processed meat is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen.
A “carcinogen” is an agent with the capacity to cause cancer in humans. Processed meat is in the same carcinogen group as cigarettes, asbestos, aflatoxins, etc. Cancer-causing substances form when these processed meats are preserved. Eating these meats can damage your DNA, raising your colorectal cancer risk.
What are processed meats? Processed meat are meat that have been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or another process to enhance the flavor and to preserve it.
Some Processed Meats Include:.
- Smoked or Cured Ham
- Pastrami, Salami
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Hot dogs
- Pepperoni
- Beef jerky
- Packed lunch meat
- Deli meat, including Roast beef and turkey
- Corned beef
There are 3 chemicals that have been linked to colorectal cancer
- Heme -which is found mostly in red meat
- Nitrates and nitrites -these are added to processed meat to keep it fresher for longer
- Heterocyclic amines and polycyclic amines -these are produced when you cook meat at high temperatures
All these chemicals in processed meats can damage the cells in the colon and the rectum and can significantly increase the risk of cancer.
We can look out for the following ingredients that are usually in processed meats and avoid them as much as possible;
- In the label, look out for and avoid ingredients like nitrate, nitrite, cured, salted, etc
- Sometimes, even meats that have the label, “uncured” can still have nitrates or nitrites in them
For more information on Carcinogens and processed meat, please visit the American Cancer Societies website by clicking this link.
March 8, 2021
Disclaimer
This information is based on research and my personal health journey.
All content found in this blog or website were created for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Talk to your doctor or any qualified nutritionist with any questions concerning your diet. Never disregard the professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog or website. For any medical condition, consult your physician before making any changes recommended on this website or blog. Reliance on any information provided by davidsackey.org is solely at your own risk.