Red meat is delicious, so delicious, in fact, that consuming it often may make you a happier person. And while an indulgent steak once in a while shouldn’t harm anyone, the high saturated fat content of beef has been linked to a whole list of health issues, including higher blood cholesterol levels and heart disease. Moreover, the latest research reveals that red meat can actually put you at a higher risk of developing bowel (colorectal) cancer.
SIDE EFFECTS OF EATING RED MEAT
Although red meat is abundant in iron and protein, it also brings about adverse impact upon your health. For one thing, red meat has very high fat content, which is even more harmful when combined with fried onions, buttery potatoes, and a high-calorie beverage.
Plus, red meat is quite hard for the body to digest. This will be familiar to you if you’ve suffered digestive difficulties after eating beef. The seriousness of this is that it can lead to accumulation of toxins in the body over time.
THE LINK BETWEEN BOWEL CANCER AND RED MEAT
According to research, red meat is found to be the potential cause of bowel cancer. Findings revealed that the bright red color is the major culprit, and this derives from the part of the blood cell that binds with oxygen.
It’s the iron in this part of the cell that contributes to the red color in meat. When consumed frequently, this chemical can harm your gut lining. Even though your body can heal the gut lining completely, it’s much more difficult to do so if you consume red meat regularly. Plus, during the process of self-repair, cells reproduce at a higher speed and this rapid growth further increases the risk of cancer onset.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
Of course, you shouldn’t give up on red meat immediately as research on this matter is only in its initial stages, meaning that this phenomenon has only been tested in mice so far. Further investigation is required to determine whether the same thing happens in humans.
Plus, you can eat almost anything providing you do it moderately. Although it’s not advisable to have a steak every night, one or two servings of red meat per week won’t do any long-term harm. You should also make sure that you are eating right most of the time in order to counterbalance the potential damage caused by red meat in your diet. This implies getting plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet as these can provide your body with the antioxidants it needs to fight cancer, allowing you enjoy a steak every so often.
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Warning: The Side Effects Of Eating Red Meat