| The new food pyramid puts red meat at the very | | | | Unprocessed red meat is the meat in its natural state - |
| bottom, as an undesirable food. The "politically correct" | | | | steak, hamburger, lamb chop, pork, etc. Processed |
| view is that red meat is dangerous because it is | | | | meat is any meat that was smoked, cured, salted, or |
| loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat. The | | | | had chemical preservatives added. Bacon, salami, |
| "experts" even cite some studies that seem to link red | | | | bologna, hot dogs, and similar products are examples |
| meat with increased risk of heart disease, strokes, and | | | | of processed meats. What exactly in processed |
| cancer. | | | | meats increases the risk of heart disease and |
| The good news is that none of that is true. As I wrote | | | | diabetes? They have the same amount of saturated |
| in another article called Red Meat is Good for Heart, | | | | fat and cholesterol as the natural, unprocessed meat. |
| Does not Cause Heart Disease or Stroke, red meat is | | | | Since, according to this study, unprocessed meat does |
| a great source of many important nutrients and is | | | | not increase the risk of heart disease or diabetes, it is |
| generally very beneficial. It not only provides the best | | | | clearly not the fat and not the cholesterol that are |
| quality proteins, but also zinc, B vitamins, coenzyme | | | | responsible. And this clearly disproves the lipid theory, |
| Q10, trace minerals and other vital elements. | | | | which claims that heart disease is caused by eating |
| I also pointed out that it is not red meat, but processed | | | | red meat and other animal-based foods. The authors |
| meats that are responsible for health problems. A | | | | speculate that it is either salt or chemicals in the |
| study presented at the annual American Heart | | | | processed meat that are responsible for increased risk |
| Association conference in March 2010 confirmed | | | | of disease. |
| everything I was telling you about. Harvard researchers | | | | My opinion is that the chemicals are to blame. The |
| have analyzed data from 20 studies with more than | | | | most dangerous chemical is sodium nitrite, which has |
| 1.2 million participants. | | | | been linked to cancer and heart disease. Monosodium |
| They found that eating red meat did not increase the | | | | gluconate (MSG) is another commonly used chemical. |
| risk of either heart disease or diabetes. No effect | | | | It has been linked to neurological problems and other |
| whatsoever. But processed meats did. The authors | | | | health issues. The bottom line is what I have been |
| found that for every serving of 2 oz there was a 42% | | | | telling you all along - natural meat is good, but |
| increase in risk of heart disease and 19% increase in | | | | processed meat is not. So enjoy your steak and |
| the risk of diabetes. | | | | hamburger, but stay away from salami and hot dogs. |