A recent study revealed that eating unprocessed beef does not increase the risk of heart disease as is commonly believed.
The study was conducted by researchers from the School of Public Health at Indiana University in the United States of America, and was published in the journal “Current Developments in Nutrition.” This means that you can now enjoy 80-160 grams of unprocessed beef daily as part of a healthy diet.
What happens in the blood when you eat unprocessed meat?
The researchers in this study analyzed data from 20 previous studies, and looked specifically at changes in blood lipid tests for people who ate higher amounts of a variety of beef.
Previous studies often relied on observing participants’ diets that contained all types of red meat together, without distinguishing between the types of meat consumed, and whether it was fresh or processed, and then monitoring the impact of this on their health, and this is what makes the results not related to meat. Especially red alone.
This study analyzed the impact of eating red meat, separating the results for participants who ate processed beef from those who ate unprocessed beef.
Cured meat is defined as meat that has been preserved through salting, smoking, drying, or canning.
The researchers found that eating unprocessed beef did not affect blood pressure or readings of blood lipid tests associated with an increased risk of heart disease, such as harmful cholesterol, good cholesterol, triglycerides, and others.
This challenges the general conventional opinion that red meat is linked to heart disease. Dr. Kevin McKee, one of the researchers involved in the study, said in an interview with Newsweek magazine: “The results generally indicate that beef consumption does not have negative effects on the traditional causes that increase the risk of heart disease.” with cardiovascular diseases.”
The study indicates that the negative health outcomes associated with eating red meat relate to processed meat and not unprocessed beef.
The researchers did not deny that eating beef regularly was associated with a slight increase in bad cholesterol compared to not eating beef or eating it in small quantities.
“Our results highlight that beef can be part of a variety of diets that are beneficial for heart health,” says Dr. Mackey.
Health benefits of eating beef
Beef is considered one of the most prominent sources rich in high-quality proteins, in addition to a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, according to the Healthline website. You can benefit from these health benefits when you eat beef:
- Maintaining muscle mass: Beef contains all essential amino acids, which are especially beneficial for elderly people who do not consume enough high-quality protein from other sources.
- Improving exercise performance: A compound called carnosine is formed in the human body, which is produced from a dietary amino acid called beta-alanine, an acid found in large quantities in meat, including red meat. High levels of carnosine are linked to reducing fatigue and improving performance during exercise.
- Preventing anemia: Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia, while beef is considered a rich source of iron, especially heme iron, which is a form of iron found only in animal food sources. One study also indicates that meat can increase the absorption of non-heme iron found in plant foods, even in meals containing phytic acid, which acts as an inhibitor of iron absorption. Therefore, eating meat is one of the best ways to prevent anemia caused by iron deficiency. .