Red meat is a source of protein but if eaten more often its excessiveness has negative impacts in our bodies. There are numerous sources of proteins which would be preferred over red meat. People are actually encouraged to substitute animal proteins with plant proteins whenever possible. This will benefit the body very well and prevent one from attracting complications brought about by excess animal protein.
Red meat is being discouraged nowadays due to the following negative effects;
- Red meat can cause heart diseases
Red meat is known to have a lot of saturated fats and cholesterol which may clog the cardiovascular system leading to heart problems. In addition, studies suggest that a compound in the red meat known as carnitine produces trim ethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) when digested. The trim ethylamine-N-Oxide is responsible for causing atherosclerosis that is the building up of fatty acids, which can cause heart attack.
- Red meat can cause Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists believe that when too much protein accumulates in the brain, they damage the nerve cells hence causing the Alzheimer’s disease. Another contributing factor to Alzheimer’s disease is the build-up of too much iron in the brain cells. Red meat being rich in iron is therefore highly linked to this disease in the long run.
- Red meat can cause diabetes
Red meat is also associated with contracting Type-two diabetes. Intake of red meat for more than four times a week increases diabetes by 50%.
- Red meat causes gout
Red meat has chemical compounds known as purine which are responsible for causing gout. Foods with high purine content causes gout and red meat is one of them. It becomes worse if one indulges in lots of beer as well.
- Red meat is no longer what it used to be
The kind of red meat we eat today is no longer the same as what the old generation used to eat. Back then the animals were left to graze alone in the natural environment but nowadays people have resorted to using drugs. The animals are being injected hormones to make them grow faster antibiotics to prevent diseases. These drugs when combined with the chemicals already in the human body may not respond well with our health.
- Red meat can cause colon cancer
Studies have showed that excessive consumption of red meat and highly processed food is linked to increased risk of getting colorectal cancer. People are encouraged to eat white meat; fish and fowl are known to have better effects.
- Risk of getting Mad Cow Disease
Mad cow disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative affecting cows and can be passed on to humans who eat red meat of the infected animal. The human version of mad cow disease is known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD).It is believed to be caused by eating beef products contaminated with the central nervous system tissue such as the brain and the spinal cord from cows infected with mad cow disease. Humans experience symptoms like seizures and jerky movements and develop memory loss dementia and personality changes when they are infected.
The above are some of the negative effects of eating red meat. But our bodies may react differently because we are made of different chemical combinations. It is good to carry out self-examination and decide if it is worth eating red meat now. The question is how much is too much for you?
