How Red Meat Affects Your Body
Red meat contributes to your daily protein intake -- each 3-ounce serving provides 60 percent of the daily protein recommendations for women and 50 percent for men, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines. Red meat offers some health benefits due to its nutrient content, making it a healthy addition to your diet when consumed in moderation. Too much red meat, though, negatively affects your health and has been linked to chronic disease.
Red meat provides essential vitamins and minerals, including B-12 and iron -- two nutrients you need for healthy circulation. Both vitamin B-12 and iron help you make red blood cells, the cells that transport oxygen throughout your body. Vitamin B-12 also keeps your nerves healthy and helps your cells regulate gene activity, while iron boosts your immune system and helps you to heal after injury. A 3-ounce serving of beef offers 2.1 micrograms of vitamin B-12, or 88 percent of your recommended daily intake, as well as 2.3 milligrams of iron -- 29 percent of the RDA for men or 13 percent for women, according to the Institute of Medicine.
Red meat has a bad reputation for its effect on your cardiovascular health. It contains saturated fat, a type of fat that increases your harmful cholesterol level, putting you at higher risk of heart disease and upping your risk of premature death, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Processed red meat also often contains sodium and nitrates, which also increase your cardiovascular disease risk.
However, some evidence suggests that certain types of red meat might not have the same effect on your cardiovascular health. A study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in 2012 found that lean lamb meat and grilled chicken breast had the same impact on blood cholesterol levels. While more research is needed to find out if eating lamb has less impact on cardiovascular disease than beef, opting for lamb over beef might benefit your heart.
Colon and Rectal Health
Red meat negatively affects your colon. Individuals who consume large amounts of red meat on a regular basis -- 5 ounces daily -- face a higher risk of colon cancer, reports Harvard Medical School, and those who regularly consume processed red meat are at an even higher risk. Lamb also poses a significant threat to your colon health and ups your risk of colon cancer, while pork increases your risk of rectal cancer, according to a study published in the "Journal of Nutrition" in 2013.
Practice portion control when eating red meat -- limit your servings to 4 ounces of red meat twice a week, recommends Harvard Medical School. Choose lean cuts of beef -- such as eye round, bottom round, top loin or top sirloin cuts -- to limit your saturated fat intake, and trim any visible fat from your meat. Grill, broil, roast or bake your meat, so you can cook it without adding excess fat, and use low-sodium flavorings, such as garlic and fresh herbs.
- USDA ChooseMyPlate.gov: How Much Food from the Protein Foods Group is Needed Daily?
- Linus Pauling Institute: Iron
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin B-12
- Harvard School of Public Health: Red Meat Consumption Linked to Increased Risk of Total, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality
- Journal of Nutrition: Associations between Red Meat and Risks for Colon and Rectal Cancer Depend on the Type of Red Meat Consumed
- British Journal of Nutrition: Effect of Lean Red Meat from Lamb v. Lean White Meat From Chicken on the Serum Lipid Profile: a Randomised, Cross-Over Study in Women.
- Harvard Medical School: Red Meat and Colon Cancer
- University of Nebraska: Lean Beef Cuts
Sylvie Tremblay holds a Master of Science in molecular and cellular biology and has years of experience as a cancer researcher and neuroscientist. Based in Ontario, Canada, Tremblay is an experienced journalist and blogger specializing in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, health and biotechnology, as well as real estate, agriculture and clean tech.