Most critics of meat consumption will argue that eating red meat has a connection to heart disease, high blood pressure and other conditions associated with poor health and early death. While these critics are not entirely wrong, they are not entirely correct either.
A recent study conducted by Harvard Medical School concluded that regular consumption of red meat has a direct correlation to heart related problems as well as other forms of cancer. The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and consisted of 120,000 participants. The study showed that those who were given red meat as a part of their daily dietary plan were 10 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 18 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
Where this study falls short, however, is that it does not take into account the type of red meat consumed. Not all meat are created equal. There are two primary ways in which cattle are raised before being taken to the slaughterhouse. Cattle are either grass-fed or grain-fed. The former is the cattle’s natural form of sustenance. Cattle that are fed this way are shown to be healthier and produce meat that is higher in omega-3 fatty acid and conjugated linoleic acid. Most farms, however, often feed its cattle grain because it brings down the cost. Grain-fed cattle produce the quality of meat that is shown to cause health problems in the Harvard study.
The good news is that if you enjoy meat, then you do not have to forgo it completely. You just have to be a little more nitpicky about where you buy your meat. This means there is no need to adopt a green diet and live off of salad and Tofurky for the rest of your life. You can still have your steak; just be sure it came from the right source.