Paras Hemrajani
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It is important to note that meat derived from animals born and raised in a factory would be different from the one raised in the wild. © Shutterstock
Chew on this: A new study proves that you no longer have to stay away from your favourite bacon, sausages, hot dogs, salami, corned beef, pates and hams. If you had removed red meat from your menu before, then you can start add it again. According to a new study, published in the Journal of the American College of Physicians, adults can continue their current processed meat consumption. Researchers from Dalhousie University and McMaster University in Canada, that same up with this study believe that the risk of developing diabetes and cancer is there, but the risk in not that big and the evidence presented by previous studies is weak.
In 2016, in another controversial study, the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that consumption of processed red meats can cause cancer. When the results of this study became public, people stopped the consumption of meat. The general belief among people was that the consumption of processed meat is dangerous for the human body. The study did not take into account beef, lamb, pork, veal and venison and the real focus was on packaged red meat goods. Researchers said that packaged meat was smoked and contained added preservatives to extend their shelf life, which made them dangerous. But the study presented by WHO had limited evidence and was an observational study that could not prove a causation.
According to the new research, the risk of cancer is more associated with how the meat is grilled rather than the meat itself. If you grill the meat at a very high temperature, it releases carcinogens like heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This can increase the risk of cancer. But if you grill the meat with more patience at a low temperature, then the risk of cancer becomes minimum.
According to the new study, not only is red meat not dangerous, it also has some benefits that can improve human health. The study tells us more about the benefits of natural red meat products and not the processed variety. It is important to note that meat derived from animals born and raised in a factory is different from those in the wild. Organic meat is different in nutritional composition than factory-farmed. Here are some of the benefits mentioned in the study.
Red meat is rich in heme iron, the most easy-to-absorb iron in the body. Along with iron, red meat is a good source of vitamin B12, which helps make DNA. Red meat can also contribute in keeping nerves and red blood cells healthy. Presence of zinc helps improve the functioning of the immune system.
Lacks bad fat content
An average brick of cheddar cheese contains 34 per cent fat in it. A fully trimmed lean raw beef and pork have only 4 per cent of fat in them. Almost half of this fat content is unsaturated (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fat. This helps by supporting the normal functions of the brain and nervous system and reducing the inflammation in the body.