Good or bad meat

In the West, there are a large number of studies showing that meat in food is divided into two types, one that is good for the body and one that is harmful to the body. Most people understand the reason, but we still need some more specific data to support this view.

A study published in March 2009 confirmed what has been worrying about: eating more red meat and processed meat can increase the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and shorten lifespan. Red meat refers not only to beef but also pork and lamb. After investigating 500,000 different people, the researchers found that a group of people who ate a red meat burger every day had a mortality rate that was 30% higher than that of other people, and most of them died of heart disease and cancer. In addition, sausages, cold meats, and other processed red meats also increase mortality. Compared to red meat, people who eat white meat such as fish, chicken, turkey and other poultry have lower mortality rates.

Meat is good or bad, maternal and child health magazine article, doctor column about the benefits and disadvantages of meat to the body, all related disputes are centered around the ratio of "good fat" and "bad fat". Everyone must have heard the debate between trans fats, which are harmful to the body, and relatively healthier cis fats. In fact, there are similar disputes between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Both of these can be obtained by ingesting fat in food. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid in the human body and is considered a healthier fatty acid. It has the effect of lowering cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular diseases. Flaxseed oil, dried fruits such as walnuts, kiwi fruits, and greasy cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines all contain higher omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is contained in plants such as flax, which is an omega-3 fatty acid that can be partially converted into EPA and DHA in the human body. ALA can play an anti-inflammatory role in the body and is also very healthy for the body. In general, fish oil has higher levels of EPA and DHA than plants such as flaxseed.


Another fatty acid is an omega-6 fatty acid, which is also an essential fatty acid. If the intake is reasonable, it is good for the body, but if it is ingested in large amounts, it may cause cell function disorders and increase the probability of disease. The ratio of ω-3 to ω-6 is of great significance to human health. Until the 19th to 20th centuries, the proportion of omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids in the human diet was between 1: 1 and 4: 1, and people with this diet had a very high incidence of heart disease. In the 20th century, with the rapid development of the industrialization of cattle farms in western countries, the incidence of heart disease is also increasing. Compared with ordinary cattle, cattle that eat corn have twice as much omega-6 fatty acids, and many researchers agree that this is one of the important reasons for the increase in the incidence of heart disease in Western countries. This aspect is not relentless in the West). Cattle raised in huge farms consume unnatural grains and corn, and they have a higher proportion of omega-6 than grass-fed cattle on traditional farms (4: 1 to 2: 1). Omega-6 to omega-3 ratios in Western diets range from about 10: 1 to 20: 1!

Here are 5 basic elements of meat selection:

1. White meat is better than red meat.
2. Lean red meat is better than fat red meat.
3. If you are used to eating fat red meat every day, try to reduce it to 2-3 times a week.
4. Beef eating grass is healthier than beef-eating cereals and corn.
5. The meat of free-range livestock is healthier than that fed on large farms.