Red Meat Does Not Increase Heart Disease Risk, Processed Meat Does

The new food pyramid puts red meat at the very bottom, as an undesirable food. The "politically correct" view is that red meat is dangerous because it is loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat. The "experts" even cite some studies that seem to link red meat with increased risk of heart disease, strokes, and cancer.

The good news is that none of that is true. As I wrote in another article called Red Meat is Good for Heart, Does not Cause Heart Disease or Stroke, red meat is a great source of many important nutrients and is generally very beneficial. It not only provides the best quality proteins, but also zinc, B vitamins, coenzyme Q10, trace minerals and other vital elements.

I also pointed out that it is not red meat, but processed meats that are responsible for health problems. A study presented at the annual American Heart Association conference in March 2010 confirmed everything I was telling you about. Harvard researchers have analyzed data from 20 studies with more than 1.2 million participants.

They found that eating red meat did not increase the risk of either heart disease or diabetes. No effect whatsoever. But processed meats did. The authors found that for every serving of 2 oz there was a 42% increase in risk of heart disease and 19% increase in the risk of diabetes.

Unprocessed red meat is the meat in its natural state – steak, hamburger, lamb chop, pork, etc. Processed meat is any meat that was smoked, cured, salted, or had chemical preservatives added. Bacon, salami, bologna, hot dogs, and similar products are examples of processed meats. What exactly in processed meats increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes? They have the same amount of saturated fat and cholesterol as the natural, unprocessed meat.

Since, according to this study, unprocessed meat does not increase the risk of heart disease or diabetes, it is clearly not the fat and not the cholesterol that are responsible. And this clearly disproves the lipid theory, which claims that heart disease is caused by eating red meat and other animal-based foods. The authors speculate that it is either salt or chemicals in the processed meat that are responsible for increased risk of disease.

My opinion is that the chemicals are to blame. The most dangerous chemical is sodium nitrite, which has been linked to cancer and heart disease. Monosodium gluconate (MSG) is another commonly used chemical. It has been linked to neurological problems and other health issues. The bottom line is what I have been telling you all along – natural meat is good, but processed meat is not. So enjoy your steak and hamburger, but stay away from salami and hot dogs.

Michael Teplitsky, MD has been practicing alternative and holistic medicine for over 20 years. He has treated thousands of patients using nutrition and nutritional supplements. His book Nutrition and Your Health explains complex and confusing nutritional concepts in an easy to understand layman language. Please visit the http://www.CommonSenseHealthGuide.com to get the book, a Free Report 7 Health Myths That Can Hurt You, health news, and other valuable information.

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