The Ongoing Debate: Is Red Meat Really Bad for Your Health? 🤔
The question of whether red meat is good or bad for our health has sparked debate for years. While some studies suggest that eating red meat might increase the risk of certain diseases, others show no clear link at all. This conflicting evidence has left both consumers and healthcare professionals confused about what to believe.
One major issue with many of these studies is that they often fail to separate different types of red meat. Processed meats like bacon, sausages, and deli meats are frequently lumped together with unprocessed, organic, grass-fed beef, even though the two categories can have vastly different effects on our health.
Processed vs. Organic Grass-Fed Red Meat 🌱
Processed meats, like bacon and sausages, are often high in sodium, nitrates, and other additives that have been associated with negative health effects. These products are usually made from lower-quality meat cuts and can come from animals raised in less favorable conditions.
On the other hand, organic grass-fed beef comes from cattle that are raised on a natural diet of grass and forage, without the use of hormones or antibiotics. This difference in quality and how the animals are raised may lead to different health outcomes.
Cholesterol …
Another massive assumption is that red meat causes heart disease and will ‘block my arteries’ because it contains saturated fat, which increases our LDL cholesterol levels.
Again, what meat are you talking about? If you’re talking about grain-fed pork chops or cured beef pepperoni, then most likely yes. But I will only ever be referring to grass-fed beef, and with this, it’s not the case.
However, more often than not, heart disease (specifically atherosclerosis) is caused by insulin resistance — which is when our cells don’t respond to the hormone insulin, leading to higher than normal blood glucose levels.
Studies that say it’s all to do with LDL are most likely being funded by Big Pharma! 💊 And they want to push out LDL-lowering drugs (statins). Which is an incredible business plan as it creates lifelong customers, which means lifelong profits. However, don’t be fooled by what the media is pushing, as the people who are promoting it are usually getting more and more money for you believing their myths that are backed up with ‘science’ that only looks at ways to confirm what they want to say.
Should I eat it, or should I limit my intake? 🤷♀️
Starting off with a bang: interventional trials that have shown red meat improves markers of health. These trials reveal that increased red meat consumption can:
Lower inflammatory markers
Improve vascular function
Enhance insulin sensitivity
Evidence shows that red meat also contains a whole host of vitamins and minerals. 🥦
Nutrient Powerhouse:
Vitamin D (more bioavailable than milk)
B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12)
Iron
Collagen
Potassium
Zinc
Magnesium
Copper
Phosphates
Omega-3 fatty acids (grass-fed beef packs 5x more than grain-fed) 🐄
Alongside molecules:
Taurine
Creatine
Carnosine
Anserine
Vitamin B12
Carnitine
Vitamin K2
Animal-based foods contain specific anti-aging molecules that are not as abundant in plant-based foods. These molecules play crucial roles in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation—two key factors known as the hallmarks of aging.
Research continues to back this up. In 2023, studies found no link between eating red meat and the risk factors for type 2 diabetes, like blood sugar and insulin levels. And a common belief that red meat is bad for people to eat if they are at risk for heart disease—a 2021 study showed that red meat doesn’t have any significant impact on blood sugar control or inflammation in people who are at risk for heart disease.
The idea that meat is linked to chronic diseases is also shaky. A 2022 review found that the current evidence suggesting meat causes health issues is actually very weak. And in 2024, a much more reliable study using genetic data found no solid proof that eating red or processed meat causes heart disease. This type of study is more trustworthy because it uses genetics to look for real cause-and-effect relationships, making it a much stronger piece of evidence than older studies.
The Meat vs. Plant Debate: Environmental Impact 🌍
Another common argument is that red meat production is bad for the environment. The misconception that cattle produce as much carbon as cars originated from a flawed 2006 study. This study lumped together the entire life cycle of cattle, from birth to the burger on your plate, adding up every possible greenhouse gas emission. But the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has since retracted and updated this report.
In reality, livestock accounts for only 4% of the U.S.'s greenhouse gas emissions, with beef production contributing just 2%. Compare that to transportation and energy, which together contribute over 50% of emissions.
Even more striking is that methane from cows is part of a natural carbon cycle. The process is simple: cows consume plants that have absorbed CO2, release methane, which then breaks down into CO2 and water. Plants reabsorb the CO2, continuing the cycle. Interestingly, methane emissions from wild ruminants like bison, elk, and deer in pre-industrial times were almost equivalent to what we see today from domesticated livestock.
Grass-fed beef has the lowest deaths-per-calorie compared to other foods because cows grazing on undisturbed land harm minimal wildlife. In contrast, industrial agriculture, with its monocultures, leads to significant habitat destruction and animal deaths. By choosing grass-fed meat, you can support sustainable practices while reducing overall animal suffering. Eating less meat, especially high-quality options, not only benefits your health but also the environment. 🌱
Bottom Line:
Although some studies have associated high red meat consumption with an increased risk of certain health issues, it’s essential to consider that factors like the quality and amount of meat, along with a person's overall diet and lifestyle, heavily influence its effect on health. Grass-fed meat is more ethical, sustainable, and nutrient-rich, containing higher levels of antioxidants, omega-3s, trace minerals, and vitamins, which can help you live longer and happier. 😊
Studies used:
PMID 17237312
PMID 36986140
PMID 25809854
PMID 35513448
PMID 32910818
PMID 36216940
PMID 35265657
PMID 38479924
PMID27280706
https://www.leanandtenderbeef.com/Blog/10-Surprising-Health-Benefits-of-Grass-Fed-Beef/
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169429/nutrients
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