The facts on
eating red meat
Lean red meat is not
only a good source of protein and energy, but also has benefits in avoiding
heart disease, however, consumption of animal fat should be reduced overall.
Fast facts
·
Red meat is an excellent source of protein
and energy
·
Fatty acids - in lean meat - can help
protect against heart disease
·
Reducing fats in the diet will lessen
the risk of heart diseases
Health conscious consumers are
often concerned by debates about how much meat is healthy, what kind is best
for them and whether to eat it at all.
These attitudes have developed
since the 1950s, when the western world became aware of the association between
coronary heart disease, the consumption of fats (particularly animal fat) and
high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Protein, fat
and energy
Red meat is an excellent source of
protein and energy, but it also supplies around 30 to 35 per cent of the
100-130 grams of fat that Australians consume each day.
Because it is energy-rich, fat from
all food sources supplies about 40 per cent of our energy needs, although
it only makes up 15 per cent - by weight - of the food we eat.
Nutritionists believe that to avoid
a number of major diseases such as diabetes, obesity, some cancers,
hypertension or heart disease, we should lessen our fat consumption by
approximately 25 per cent.
Susceptibility
to heart disease
It is possible to lower the risk of
death from heart disease, brought on by atherosclerosis over many years, by
following a diet that is low in fat, or one offering a high proportion of
polyunsaturated fats from plants or fish.
Atherosclerosis can lead to death
by coronary occlusion and irregular beating of the heart. Such arrhythmia can
also occur spontaneously leading to sudden cardiac death.
Susceptibility to this latter form
of heart disease has also been associated with the consumption of animal fat.
Research has found that plant oils and marine (fish) oils reduce this risk.
It is believed that the
polyunsaturated fatty acids found in these oils are instrumental in reducing
arrhythmia of the heart. To some degree similar fatty acids are found in the
structural fats of red meat.
Work has also shown that lean red
meat (which has had the outer fat removed) is effective in lowering
cholesterol. It is not the meat, but the visible fat of meat, that is the cause
of concern.
It appears possible that lean red
meat could diminish the susceptibility of humans to sudden cardiac death.
Lean meat -
consumption and production
Lean red meat is not only a good
source of protein and energy, but also has benefits in avoiding heart disease.
Consumption of fat however, must be
reduced.
Public demand presents a challenge
to farmers and scientists to jointly explore ways and means of producing this
essential food efficiently.
Although processed meat with high
fat content and/or preservatives has been shown to be associated with an
increased risk of cancer of the colon, this risk does not appear to apply to
red meat in most studies.
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