Everyone has heard that red meat can cause serious diseases. Although this is true, there are good things to say about red meat, and those things will be discussed along with the negatives in this article.
Pros
Red Meat Is a Great Source of Protein.
Protein is highly important. Every cell in your body has protein, and it does very important things. For example, protein is the source that builds the tissues in your body, but it also helps repair them when there is damage. Proteins are also used to make several bodily substances, such as hormones, enzymes and other chemicals. It is also a substantial part of your bones, blood, cartilage, skin and muscles.
Red Meat Is an Excellent Source of Vitamins.
Red meat provides your body with several nutrients, and one of them is vitamin B12. This is also highly important because vitamin B12 is instrumental in creating your DNA. Vitamin B12 also protects your blood cells and nerves. Vitamin B12 helps prevent diseases, such as megaloblastic anemia. This is a condition that causes you to feel tired and weak. Vegans and vegetarians are often deficient in vitamin B12, so they are required to take supplements to replace it, but red meat is one of the best sources for this vitamin.
Red Meat Boosts Your Immune System.
Along with building bodily tissue, protein also fights bacterial and viral infections. Portions of the immune system need protein to function properly, and these include the cells in your immune system and your antibodies. If you aren’t consuming enough protein, you can become weak, fatigued, apathetic and have an immune system that doesn’t function properly.
Red Meat Helps the Body Make Collagen.
Your body makes collagen with amino acids that you receive from foods that are rich in protein. If you are limiting your consumption of red meat, you can increase the amount of collagen in your body by taking marine based collagen instead.
Cons
Red Meat Causes an Increased Risk of Heart Disease.
Several studies have shown that red meat increases the risk of heart disease. Red meat contains high levels of saturated fat, and this is the reason that experts believe that red meat leads to heart disease. Some studies have even shown a link between the consumption of red meat and premature death.
Red Meat Increases the Risk of Cancer.
Red meat has also been linked to colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. In one study, female subjects were found to have a higher risk of breast cancer if they were regular consumers of meat. The International Agency for Research on Cancer conducted an extensive evaluation of more than 800 studies, and it discovered that there is a definite link between red meat and colon, prostate and pancreatic cancers.
Red Meat Increases the Risk of Diabetes.
Researchers discovered that study subjects had an increased risk of contracting diabetes if they consumed more animal protein than plant protein. To be exact, they had a 35 percent greater risk of this disease. The risk of diabetes is higher amongst the population even if people are only eating one serving of meat per day. A Harvard study illuminated the fact that if their study subjects consumed at least one serving of meat per day, they had a 19 percent increase in the risk for diabetes.
Red meat has positive qualities, but the studies have shown that you have to limit your consumption if you don’t want to increase your risk of deadly diseases. The good thing is that you don’t have to reduce the amount of collagen in your body if you take marine based collagen instead.