| It’s very bad news for all red meat and processed | | | | disease. |
| meat lovers. The largest study about the co-relation | | | | By comparison, participants who were on a |
| between eating red and processed meat and a | | | | plant-based diet had few incidents of cardiovascular |
| person’s longevity shows that regular red and | | | | disease. This is consistent with other studies that show |
| processed meat eaters are at a 30% greater risk of | | | | that a vegetable-based diet is best for the heart. |
| premature death. | | | | A troubling finding is that middle-aged Americans who |
| The killer unmasked | | | | eat a small hamburger everyday are 10 times more |
| For purposes of clarity, red meat is the term used for | | | | likely to die within the next ten years due to health |
| meat that is red-colored when raw. This includes beef, | | | | problems. |
| pork and lamb. Meanwhile, the term processed meat is | | | | A similar study called the Oxford Vegetarian Study |
| used for meat that has been prepared with | | | | monitored 15,000 subjects. At the end of the study, it |
| preservatives to ensure the long shelf-life of the meat. | | | | was discovered that meat eaters were twice as likely |
| This includes such staples as hotdogs, cold cuts, | | | | to die from cardiovascular disease. Not only that, they |
| sausages, hams and hamburgers. | | | | were also at a sixty percent greater risk of suffering |
| The scary truth | | | | from cancer. It is interesting to note though, that |
| The study, which had over five hundred thousand | | | | according to the studies mentioned above, red meat |
| participants, recorded their levels of red meat | | | | eaters also tend to be overweight. They are more |
| consumption diligently. The study closely monitored the | | | | likely to be smokers and tend to eat less fruits and |
| health of the participants throughout the years, noting | | | | vegetables than the rest of the group. |
| any illnesses reported and recording the timing of their | | | | The solution |
| deaths. | | | | Red meat isn’t all bad. After all, it is a great source |
| The amount of red and processed meat consumed | | | | of protein. It also has minerals like phosphorus and zinc, |
| by the participants ranged from less than an ounce to | | | | as well as vitamins like B12, riboflavin and niacin. The |
| about four ounces per day. The frequency of | | | | key is to reduce the frequency and serving size of red |
| consumption ranged from weekly to daily. | | | | meat, and to serve it with lots of vegetables and fruits |
| The results were consistent with previous studies that | | | | to negate or lessen its negative effects. Train yourself |
| show the adverse effect of regular consumption of | | | | to eat more white meat (such as chicken, duck or fish) |
| red and processed meat. Out of the nearly half a | | | | or to go for meat substitutes like tofu. |
| million people monitored over a period of ten years, | | | | So the next time you want to host an outdoor |
| 71,252 died prematurely due to the intake of excessive | | | | barbecue at your backyard, think again. Instead of |
| red and processed meat. 67 percent of those who | | | | placing the usual hotdogs, steaks and hamburgers on |
| suffered from premature death were men, and | | | | the grill, you might want to try grilling fish, chicken or |
| majority suffered from cancer or cardiovascular | | | | vegetables instead. |