Depending upon the headlines, red meat can be in or out of favour; we look at recent research.
CANCER
High levels of red meat consumption have been associated with a higher risk of cancer1 which is why current advice is to eat no more than 70g of cooked red meat per day (roughly two rashers of bacon). A review of studies into red meat and colorectal cancer (CRC) concluded that red meat and processed meat “convincingly increases CRC risk by 20-30 per cent”,2 although the author stated that the mechanisms underlying the association were unclear. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), chemicals produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures, were proposed as a contributory factor, with it suggested that meat should be wrapped in aluminium foil before roasting to reduce the formation of HCAs. Another study by researchers at the University of Oxford found that people who ate red meat and processed meat at least seven times a week were 40 per cent more likely to develop bowel cancer than those who ate meat once a week or less.3
In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO), following advice from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), classified processed meats as carcinogenic, stating that 50g of processed meat (less than two slices of bacon) could increase the chance of developing colorectol cancer by 18 per cent. It also said that red meats were probably carcinogenic to humans.4 However, the WHO did stop short of telling us to give up processed meats completely.
BLOOD PRESSURE
Despite the difficulties in isolating direct causes of disease, red meat has for some time been associated with a higher risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) in adults.5 In 2008, for example, a cross sectional epidemiological study involving 4,680 adults aged between 40-59 found an association between red meat consumption and higher systolic blood pressure, even after adjusting results to consider multiple confounding factors.6
This story is from the Spring 2017 edition of Optimum Nutrition.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Spring 2017 edition of Optimum Nutrition.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Gluten : Problem Protein Or Fad Food Fear?
The ‘gluten-free’ label is becoming a familiar sight. Mike Murphy looks at why more people are choosing to cut out this natural protein, even without doctors’ orders.
Summer Of
Summer is when we want to be out and about, as the warm embrace of the sofa on a cold winter’s night becomes a distant memory. So where do you go when the brain is willing but the body just can’t cut it at the same level of performance that it managed decades ago? Graeme Wilcockson reviews a few ways to satisfy those competitive weekend instincts that will tax both mind and body — yet leave you able to move on Monday morning
Eat For A Glow That Is More Than Skin Deep
Now that summer is here, it’s time to peel off the layers and make some vitamin D. But if your skin isn’t as peachy as you would like, or if you are worried about staying safe in the sun, find out how good nutrition may support your skin’s health. Maggie Charlesworth writes
Natural Beauty
If headlines about microbeads from cosmetics polluting our seas have got you wondering how you can do your bit for the environment, try using nature’s harvest to feed your skin. Hannah Maryse Robinson writes
Common Kitchen Practices Making Us Sick
Every year, thousands of us fall sick from food poisoning because of how we have handled food. Louise Scodie and Louise Wates look at common ways in which we are going wrong
Could Antioxidants Save Our Bacan?
Nitrates and nitrites have long been linked to cancer. We look at how they are part of a chain reaction that may not always be harmful to human health... So what’s the case with bacon?
Red Meat
Depending upon the headlines, red meat can be in or out of favour; we look at recent research.
The Big Sleep
With more demands on our time, sleep is becoming a poor relation. Jane Dawson investigates the associations between health, feeling good, and that all-important eight hours sleep a night.
Tea
Tea, especially the green variety, is often touted as a panacea for health and even weight-loss. Louise Wates puts the kettle on and looks at whether it is a reputation that is well-deserved.
When Bad Is Good
Social campaigner Mary Whitehouse abhorred it. Writer and actor Stephen Fry has publicly done and defended it. But how do you feel about swearing? Yeshi Dolma writes.
