The taste of meat is irresistible. But for adults, the goodness of meat, particularly processed meat, may not go beyond its irresistible taste. Why? We need less protein from animal sources like meat, milk and eggs as we grow older. In other words, the less meat we eat as adults (age 40 and above), the lower the risk of life threatening diseases. Putting it succinctly, Dr. William G. Crook, MD says, "People who eat less meat and more plant foods will enjoy better health than their contemporaries."
But how does meat pose a threat to human health? Red meat is a major source of saturated fats, which pose the greatest threat to the human cardiovascular system. Being high on the food chain, meat also accumulates toxins, while animals raised by commercial ranchers are also full of added toxins, residues of growth-promoting hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals. Meat may also transmit pathogenic viruses and bacteria to humans, especially battery cage chicken and turkey often contaminated by dangerous bacteria.
Why do we need to exercise caution as to the type and amount of meat we eat daily?
Heart disease kills more people worldwide than any other health problem. Whether it manifests as stroke, heart attack, cardiac arrest or sudden death, bad (LDL) cholesterol and homocysteine are parts of the risk factors at play. Homocysteine is an amino acid derived from protein in meat, milk and other dairy products, which impairs the workings of the heart.
Over-indulgence in meat also depletes calcium in the body. And given the vital roles of calcium – ensures normal heart beat, reduces cholesterol and lowers blood pressure – its deficiency can precipitate heart attack.
Too much meat in the diet could also trigger or aggravate rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disorder characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness. How? High consumption of meat causes mass excretion of calcium from the blood, thus raising lactic acid that triggers pain and swelling in the joints. Meat also creates imbalance in the body pH level and precipitates acidosis that may degenerate into diabetes, arthritis, stomach ulcers, stroke and other grave health disorders.
Smoked and processed meats are nasty contributions to stroke risk in two ways: The preserving processed leave them packed with sodium, but even worse are the preservatives used to keep processed meats from going bad. Sodium nitrite has been shown by researchers to directly damage blood vessels, causing arteries to harden and narrow. And of course damaged, overly narrow blood vessels are exactly what you don't want if you fear stroke.
Many studies have linked processed meats to coronary artery disease; one meta-analysis in the journal Circulation calculated a 42 per cent increase in coronary heart disease for those who eat one serving of processed meat a day. Stroke is not the only concern for salami fans; cancer journals have reported numerous studies in the past few years showing that consumption of cured and smoked meats is linked with increased risk of diabetes and higher incidences of numerous types of cancer, including leukemia.
High consumption of meat also stimulates the production of xanthurenic acid, which harms the beta cells of the pancreas to cause diabetes. According to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, eating just two servings of meat a day can increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 25 per cent compared to consuming meat twice a week. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of health risk factors including elevated waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol and high fasting glucose levels that lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Cancer is a life and fortune-wrecking disease, but one of the surest ways of keeping it at bay is to avoid or reduce meat intake. After reviewing over 7000 studies on cancer worldwide in 2007, the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Cancer Institute published a report that directly linked diet to cancer, with meat and alcohol identified as the greatest risk factors. Interestingly, great fans of alcohol often spice their booze with fried meat. This is like a romance with the devil and deep blue sea. Either way, disaster is knocking.
Overindulgence in meat causes pancreatic deterioration by depleting the digestive enzymes, which are extremely important in cancer prevention. All the downsides of meat- saturated fats, toxins, pathogenic bacteria, residues of antibiotics and growth-promoting hormones – are great promoters of cancer. For instance, breast and prostate cancers are hormone-related cancers that may be fuelled by excess intake of meat such as imported frozen chicken and turkey raised with growth hormones and other chemicals abroad. A study conducted by the USA's National Cancer Institute found that high intake of red and processed meats may raise the risk of lung and colorectal cancer by up to 20 per cent. Another study from Harvard found that pre-menopausal women who eat more than one and a half servings of red meat per day may double their risk of hormone-induced breast cancer, compared to women who eat less than three servings per weeks.
For hypertensive persons using diuretics to control their blood pressure, high intake of meat could expose the kidneys to double assault. Diuretics flush potassium out of the body and weaken the kidneys, while too much meat in the diet also causes excretion of calcium, which must be eliminated through the kidneys. Consequently, there is too much pressure on the kidneys and this explains why renal failure is the most prevalent complication of hypertension. To spare our kidneys and liver of overwork, we need to cut down our meat intake, if we cannot adopt meat-free diet rich in fish and vegetables.
A diet high in meat and low in fish can worsen metal and emotional performance as well as cause endometriosis – growth of lining in the uterus elsewhere in the pelvis.
Studies show that battery cage chicken also presents the same toxic hazards as the flesh of cow, sheep and pigs and may contain even more added hormones. Chicken can also transmit pathogenic bacteria particularly salmonella to consumers. In August 2010, for instance, over 380 million of eggs contaminated by salmonella were recalled in the United States. Symptoms of salmonella infection in meat and eggs include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, headache, chills, and muscle pain. The elderly, infants and people with impaired immune system are at heightened risk for developing more serious illnesses due to salmonella infection in meat and eggs.
The study of more than 500,000 middle-aged and elderly Americans found that those who consumed about four ounces of red meat a day (the equivalent of about a small hamburger) were more than 30 per cent more likely to die during the 10 years they were followed, mostly from heart disease and cancer. Sausage, cold cuts and other processed meats also increased the risk.
Processed meats contain substances known as nitrosamines, which have been linked to cancer. Although pork is often promoted as 'white meat', it is believed to increase the risk of cancer because of its iron content.
However, the need to forestall the dangers red and processed meats pose to our health should make us vote for fish and game. As against battery cage chicken, free range chicken has sumptuous, sweeter and healthful meat.
