Health
Nutritionists accuse red meat (that is, ungulates) of many deadly sins, and actively recommend switching to poultry meat. In particular, the results of one of the long-term studies, published in March this year by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health, are next once convinced the public that consuming red meat can increase the risk of early death.
It is reported that the more red meat the participants in the experiment ate regularly, the more likely they were to die suddenly (and, even during the study in question, which lasted more than twenty years). However, what is so terrible about red meat that made it so harmful to our health? Not everyone knows the full answer to this question, considering cholesterol to be the main culprit of all troubles. At the same time, experts from Harvard have published a list of possible causes that make red meat unhealthy.
Cholesterol and its “accomplices”
According to many experts, the harm caused by eating red meat is mainly related to heart disease. Saturated fats and cholesterol found in beef, pork and lamb are believed to play a fatal role in increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. A specific type of iron found in red meat, known as heme iron, has also been linked to fatal heart diseases and heart attacks.
Many different potentially harmful substances are used in the processing of meat. In particular, sodium can increase blood pressure, which is also a risk factor for heart disease. Other chemical components used in cooking meat can also influence the development of heart disease, damaging blood vessels in particular. Red meat has also been linked to an increased risk of colorectal and other cancers.
Heme iron may also be one of the possible culprits, as it is most easily absorbed by the body (compared to other types of iron), causing oxidative processes that damage cells. Some substances that occur when cooking red meat at high temperatures have a similar effect. Finally, preservatives used in cooking meat, according to scientists, cause serious harm to health, as they can turn into carcinogens in the human body.
