The benefits and harms of red meat when consumed in excess

 Red meat is meat that comes from the muscle meat of mammals such as beef, sheep, pork, goat, veal and lamb, and is red when raw. Red meat is characterized by various vitamins and minerals, but it can lead to diseases and serious health problems, so there is a clear shift Towards plant foods around the world, and this article will talk about the benefits and harms of eating red meat.

Benefits of eating red meat:

The benefits of red meat lie in its high content of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the health of the body, as red meat is very rich in iron, which is necessary for teenage girls and women in their childbearing years, as the iron in red meat is easily absorbed, and these meats when eaten provide the body with vitamin B12, Which contributes to the manufacture of DNA and maintains the health and integrity of nerve cells and red blood cells.

Eating this meat is very useful in maintaining the health of the immune system because it contains zinc, and red meat contains a high percentage of proteins that help build muscles and bones, and these meats provide the body with low calories, as Shaleen McNeil, Executive Director of Nutrition Research considers In the National Cattle Association, red meat is a very nutrient-rich and low-calorie food, as eating a three-ounce meal of beef contributes to only 180 calories, but it provides the body with 10 essential nutrients necessary for vital body functions, and thus benefits Eating red meat helps in losing weight, but it should be eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet.

Red meat nutrients:

Eating red meat provides the body with calories as well. Here are some nutritional facts for eating 100 grams of roast beef with 10% fat:

• Calories: 217.
• Water: 61%.
• Protein: 26.1 grams.
• Carbohydrates: 0 g.
• Sugar: 0 gr.
• Fat: 11.8 grams.
• Fiber: 0 gr.

Disadvantages of eating red meat:

• Risk of type 2 diabetes: According to a report published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, eating red or processed meat can over time increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, eating 3.5 ounces of red meat or 1.8 ounces of processed meat. A hot dog or two slices of bacon per day can lead to a 19% and 51% increase in the risk of developing diabetes, respectively.
• Eating meat hardens blood vessels: A study published in the journal Nature Medicine revealed that a compound found in red meat called carnitine, which is also used in some energy drinks, causes atherosclerosis or blockage of blood vessels. The heart of red meat eaters, that carnitine turns into a compound that damages blood vessels and the heart, and researchers have found that increased levels of carnitine predict an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Red meat is full of harmful hormones: The hormones added to red meat can predispose to breast cancer, according to a large study of 90,000 women and published in the archives of the Journal of Internal Medicine, women who ate about 6 ounces of red meat a day had double the risk of breast cancer. More hormone-sensitive than women who ate 3 ounces or less per week, researchers believe that the hormones or hormone-like compounds in red meat increase the risk of cancer by binding to specific hormone receptors on tumors.
• Cancer incidence: The World Health Organization has confirmed that the high incidence of cancer in rich and developed countries is much greater than in developing countries, and researchers have indicated that the reason for this is the increased consumption of meat that causes cancer, and an English study stated that the rate of cancer incidence It increased by 40% among eaters of red meat more than vegetarians, and other studies conducted in America, especially at Harvard Medical School, have shown that the incidence of colon cancer is higher among red meat eaters more than others who eat it little, and scientists attributed the reason for this to Red meat contains a chemical called (heterocyclic amines), which is formed when meat is cooked at a high temperature and turns into a carcinogen. Also, in processed meat, there is nitrite to preserve meat. These compounds are converted in the body into the amino nitrous compound, which increases the rate of Cancer, as some scientists mention that a lot of red meat increases body weight and threatens to cause cancer, as indicated by many researches.