While red meat is a good source of complete protein and iron, its regular consumption presents several health risks.
Cancer risk--
Recent studies indicate that red meat could pose a notable increase in cancer risk.
This has been attributed to the haemoglobin and myoglobin molecules which are found in red meat.
These molecules, when ingested, trigger a process called nitrosation in the gut, which leads to the formation of N-nitroso compounds, compounds that combine with DNA, and alter it so that it is more likely to undergo harmful changes or mutations that increase the likelihood of cancer.
Some studies have linked consumption of red meat with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma, bladder cancer and prostate cancer. Overall, the relative risk of developing a fatal cancer is of 0.61 in non meat-eaters compared to people who eat red meat regularly.
Eating cooked red meat may increase the likelihood of cancer because carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines are created during the cooking process. Heterocyclic amines may not explain why red meat is more harmful than other meat, however, as these compounds are also found in poultry and fish, which have not been linked to an increased cancer risk.
The Risk of Cardiovascular diseases--
Red meat has a high content of saturated fat, which is associated with cardiovascular diseases.
One study has determined that the death rate of non meat-eaters due to heart diseases is of 0.72 compared to meat eaters.
Other health issues--
Regular consumption of red meat has also been linked to bone loss, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and arthritis..
