Beef consumption is a common metric often used as a proxy for the assessment of the healthfulness of a diet. The notion that red meat is consumed in excessive amounts is pervasive, and this belief shapes diet recommendations advising consumers to reduce their red meat intake.
A new factsheet1, developed by the nutrition team at Canada Beef, challenges the belief that Canadians overconsume beef. In fact, research from various reviews and analyses indicates that red meat intakes in Canada are modest and in line with those of Mediterranean countries, an important observation since the diets of countries in the Mediterranean are often used to model healthy patterns of eating. The factsheet also highlights Statistics Canada data that finds many Canadians are not meeting minimum recommended protein intakes as well as studies finding higher red meat consumption is beneficial to health.
These points, in addition to several others included in the new factsheet, suggest that Canadians are not consuming too much red meat, and some may in fact benefit from eating more.
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Current evidence on red meat and chronic disease
In recent years several high-profile reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and other studies have examined the relationship between chronic disease and red meat intake. This robust body of evidence calls into question the common perception of a causal association between beef (and other red meats) and chronic disease outcomes.
A recently published factsheet2 summarizes several of these key papers focused on: chronic diseases in general, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and type 2 diabetes, in relation to red meat consumption. This new report can be used to quickly source references on these topics as needed for beef communications and issues responses. The factsheet will also be updated regularly as new research gets published.
Highlights from the factsheet include:
- The most comprehensive analysis to date of the role of animal-sourced foods in the diet found that unprocessed red meat consumption ranging from nine to 71 g/day has minimal health risks. Canadians, on average, consume 41g of unprocessed red meat per day.
- Using over 1.8 million data points, researchers found no causal relationship between red meat intake and the risk of four CVD outcomes, including coronary artery disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure.
- A Mediterranean-style diet higher in lean unprocessed red meat helped overweight and obese adults achieve a significant decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure within five weeks.
- Worldwide analysis of 175 countries/territories showed higher meat intake (including red meat, poultry, game, and organ meat) correlates with better life expectancy. This study found that life expectancy was greater when diets included more meat, even in countries with a Mediterranean diet.
Overall, the findings reported in the new factsheet2 suggest that the association between a variety of chronic diseases and consumption of unprocessed red meat is weak or non-existent.
Switch to white meat, plant-based, not warranted
With red meat contributing to micronutrient adequacy, and ample research suggesting weak or no association between red meat and chronic disease, the recommendation to eliminate red meat intake cannot be justified. Beef is rich in protein and includes many nutrients commonly lacking in the diet of Canadians, such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and potassium.3 A relatively small portion of beef can go a long way towards helping Canadians meet their nutrient needs.
References
- Canada Beef. October 2024. https://thinkbeef.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nutrition-Report_Meat-Intakes_2024.pdf.
- Canada Beef. August 2024. Thinkbeef Nutrition Reports: Current Evidence on Red Meat and Chronic Disease.
- Canada Beef. Thinkbeef: Nutrient-dense beef contains key nutrients that many Canadians need more of in their diets. Accessed August 2024.
