HOW MUCH RED MEAT DO DOCTORS EAT?
Dr PHILLIP HARRISON, consultant hepatologist at king’s College Hospital, London I EAT lean red meat such as beef mince and steak at least twice a week, and a bacon butty every fortnight or so, too — nothing is going to make me give that up. I try not to overdo it, and I avoid fatty meat, such as rib-eye steaks, because they are high in saturated fat and calories — I don’t want to gain weight. I avoid cooking methods such as frying for the same reason.
I don’t dispute there is a minor statistical association between processed meat and bowel cancer, but I believe this news is a distraction from the main nutritional problems in the
UK — drinking alcohol at harmful levels and eating too much sugar. Dr KLAUS WITTE, consultant cardiologist at Leeds General infirmary THE way meat is cooked affects how potentially harmful it can be. Frying or grilling meat cooks it very quickly and this produces a lot of phosphates, particles which contribute to the build-up of calcium deposits on blood vessel walls and lead to cardiovascular problems.
My family and I don’t eat much red meat — we prefer turkey or fish. But we do have a Bockwurst once a week. This is a German pork sausage, so it’s processed meat, but it’s boiled, and
DR JOHN ABERCROMBIE, consultant colorectal surgeon at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust MORE than 90 per cent of my diet is vegetarian, full of fish, cheese and vegetables. I am happy to eat sausages with my children from time to time; very rarely I might have black pudding or Parma ham as a treat. I have not changed my meat intake in the light of the recently alleged harmful effects and don’t think my habits are anything to worry about. DR PETER WHORWELL, consultant gastroenterologist at South Manchester Functional Bowel Service AS I am getting older I am taking more care to eat fresh, home-cooked food with nothing added, but I don’t worry too much about red meat, as I enjoy it so much. I have beef about once a week in a casserole, chilli con carne or as a nice juicy steak when eating out. Any more than once a week may increase health risks, particularly on the heart.
I avoid processed meat completely on a day-to-day basis, particularly bacon and sausages, which are high in salt, as it can lead to high blood pressure and heart problems. Despite their association with bowel cancer, this is dependent on the ‘dose’ (how much you eat), so I don’t think the occasional treat poses a risk to my health. DR KIRSTIE ANDERSON, consultant neurologist at Newcastle University I’M VEGETARIAN, both for health and animal welfare reasons, so have not changed my habits. All the research evidence suggests that the key is to eat less in general and to have a diet which consists mainly of vegetables — that is our evolutionary biology and we can’t escape it, we don’t need to eat meat. It wasn’t around in huge quantities 50,000 years ago when Homo sapiens evolved and we weren’t programmed to deal with too much meat, fat or sugar, hence the health risks now emerging. DR IAN CAMPBELL, a GP in Nottingham I EAT responsibly sourced red meat once a week, usually a smallish piece of lamb with lots of vegetables and potatoes or brown pasta or rice. I am partial to a bacon sandwich and sausage on a Saturday morning, but I try not to have this more than once a week. White fish is leaner and better for weight control. I only have steak when my sons are at home and request it.