Eating processed meats can be risky business.
Humans, when discussing our diet at a most basic level, are omnivores, meaning we eat a combination of both plants and meat.
Of course, many humans choose to strictly eat as herbivores, or vegetarians, for environmental or health reasons. While humans are perfectly capable of surviving on a vegetarian or even vegan diet, most of us continue to include meat and fish.
Recently, though, there is growing scientific evidence suggesting that those of us with a greater intake of processed meat are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. Hopefully, I will be able to shed some light on the facts of processed meat intake and how we should navigate this risky business in our daily diets.
Red meat is defined as all types of mammalian muscle meat, including beef, pork and lamb. This is different from processed meat, which refers to any meat (including red meat or poultry) that is transformed or processed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking or adding chemical preservatives.
Recent evidence links excessive consumption of processed meat, and to a lesser extent unprocessed red meat, to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. In fact, in 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans,” based on sufficient evidence gathered in recent studies examining high consumption. Additionally, red meat was labeled as “probably carcinogenic,” based only on limited evidence.
Despite these findings, there have been no changes in the amount of processed meat conis sumed by U.S. adults over the past 18 years.
In fact, a study published in May 2019 stated that about 80,000 new cancer cases in 2015 were attributable to suboptimal diet.
Now does this mean 80,000 people had cancer from processed meat? No!
What we do know is that, in general, Americans eat excess amounts of processed meats and red meat, and do not meet the USDA recommendations for fish, fruit and vegetable intake.
So should we all avoid meat completely? No again. The USDA has recommendations for protein intake and how to include a variety of protein foods in our diet without increasing our risk.
Meat falls under the broad nutrient group of protein. Protein involved in many important functions and processes throughout the body and comprises a variety of foods from both animal and plant sources.
Meat, specifically, provides a good source of iron (one that is more easily absorbed by the body) and, of course, protein. The USDA recommends 26 ounce-equivalents of a combination of meats, poultry and eggs per week. There is also a specific recommendation for at least 8 ounce-equivalents of seafood per week and at least 1 ounce-equivalent of protein from nuts and seeds per week.
When divided daily, this looks like at least 5 to 6 ounce-equivalents of some form of protein per day, ideally from a variety of protein sources. What is a 1 ounce-equivalent? Well the USDA provides a handy break down with examples of each protein food and its correlating 1-ounce equivalent.
For quick reference:
1 small filet of steak is 3 to 4 ounce-equivalents. (That is almost your entire day in one small steak.)
1 small chicken breast is 3 ounce-equivalents.
1 egg is 1 ounce equivalent. 1 salmon steak, up to 4 ounce-equivalents
The moral of the story? There are many ways to get your protein intake, including red meats in your diet, and to live healthfully without becoming a vegetarian.
My advice? Make a vegetarian dinner one day per week, and one or two days per week choose to have seafood as your main protein for dinner.
You can include eggs or dairy in the morning and then mix it up for lunch. It’s all about moderation.