Red meat is a nutritional term referring to meat that is red in color before cooking. The meat of all mammals, such as pork, beef, lamb, venison, rabbit, etc., is considered red meat. Red meat contains high levels of saturated fat. Livestock meat, including the muscle, organs, and products of pigs, cattle, and sheep, is classified as red meat. The muscle of red meat is dark red with a deeper texture. In contrast, the meat of poultry and aquatic animals is lighter in color, hence the term "white meat."
Multiple studies have confirmed that consuming too much red meat is detrimental to health. According to a recent report in The New York Times, a new study published in The British Medical Journal found that the more red meat a person eats, the higher their risk of death from nine diseases becomes.
In the new study, Dr. Arash Etemadi and his research team from the National Institutes of Health's Epidemiology Branch conducted a 16-year dietary and health follow-up study of 536,000 participants aged 50 to 71. Researchers assessed participants' intake of various meats through dietary questionnaires, including: processed and unprocessed red meat (beef, lamb, and pork), white meat (poultry and fish), and total meat intake. Additionally, the questionnaires inquired about participants' intake of heme iron and nitrates or nitrites from processed foods. The results showed that compared to participants who ate the least red meat, those who ate the most (more than 134 grams per day) had a 26% higher risk of death from all causes. Excessive red meat intake increases the risk of death from nine specific diseases: cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, infections, Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, and liver disease. The new study also found that consuming white meat, such as chicken and fish, is more beneficial for health. Compared to participants who ate the least red meat, those who ate the most white meat had a 25% lower risk of death from all causes. Furthermore, eating white meat (especially unprocessed white meat) was found to be inversely associated with the risk of almost all causes of death.
Dr. Etemadi stated that these findings remind the public that for better health, it is best to limit the intake of red meats like beef, lamb, and pork, as well as processed meats, and instead opt for poultry such as chicken and duck, and fish.