This Is Your Body On Red Meat
You’d be hard-pressed to find a health topic more widely debated than the case for or against eating red meat. That’s because medical opinion on whether or not we should be eating red meat ― and exactly how much of it we can safely eat ― is constantly changing.
For example, research published in the European Heart Journal linked daily consumption of red meat to tripling trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a chemical linked to heart disease. That study was followed by an analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine stating there didn’t seem to be a need to limit or restrict red meat consumption. (It was then discovered that the study was tied to a program that is partially backed by the beef industry.)
Needless to say, there’s a lot of murkiness. No wonder we’re all standing around scratching our heads as we ponder our next move in the grocery store. For most, including red meat in your diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach (especially if you really crave it). But you should know how it affects you ― both good and bad.
Below experts explain what exactly happens when you eat red meat and how to modify your intake to create a well-rounded, healthy diet.
Red meat has been linked to some diseases like diabetes and cancer.
Eating red meat increases your body’s production of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1, or IGF-1. This could speed up the aging in the body along with cell replication that can increase the risk of multiple types of cancers, according to Joel Fuhrman a family physician and author of the forthcoming book Eat for Life.
“Insulin and IGF-1 hormones are tremendously important in the aging process,” Fuhrman said. “The diseases associated with aging ― cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer ― are driven by excessive activity of insulin and IGF-1, which in turn are driven by long-term excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates and animal protein.”
The World Health Organization classifies processed...
