The battle raging over how much red meat you eat

Scientists advising the U.S. government on the next round of dietary guidelines have issued recommendations that would tell Americans to limit the amount of red meat they eat. It’s part of an effort to get us to eat more plant-based foods, including beans, peas and lentils.

The draft recommendations have immediately sparked outrage from the meat industry, setting up a potential battle over the final guidelines – expected late next year – and the amount of red meat we should have in our diets.

Nutrition researchers have largely heralded this move. Scientists have long said that the cholesterol and fat in hamburgers and steaks can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Current U.S. dietary guidelines recommend avoiding too much saturated fat, but don’t tell people to limit red meat.

Beef has long been the centerpiece of American meals, and meat-heavy diets such as carnivore and paleo remain popular. American men in particular eat more meat, poultry and eggs than existing guidelines recommend, especially red meat and processed products such as sliced ​​ham and bacon.

“It seems like it’s going to be hard to change,” said Lindsey Smith Taillie, an associate professor in the nutrition department at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. “We have a very strong preference for red meat that is tied to all kinds of social and cultural factors.”

What the guidelines do

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which are updated every five years, have a broad impact. They shape school lunch programs, shape public health efforts and influence what food companies make.

The meat industry backtracked on the draft recommendations, which were drawn up by a committee of scientists who advised the government on the guidelines.

“It’s mind-boggling that we’re trying to get Americans to cut out red meat when the evidence suggests that nutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases increase as red meat consumption decreases,” said Shalene McNeill, executive director of nutritional sciences at National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. trade association for cattlemen and ranchers McNeill, who is also a registered dietitian, noted that red meat contains important nutrients, including potassium, iron and choline.

The committee’s draft proposals recommend that dietary guidelines emphasize vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fish and seafood, low-fat and low-fat dairy products and unsaturated fats. It’s a “plant forward” way of eating, explains Christopher Gardner, professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and committee member.

The committee also proposes changes to the protein-rich food category, reducing the emphasis on meat. At a public meeting, members proposed including beans, peas and lentils in the high-protein foods category. They also suggested that “meat, poultry, eggs” would move from the first group in the category to the last, among seafood and plant-based protein sources, including nuts, seeds and soy products.

Red meat and you

Some studies have shown that consumption of unprocessed red meat is linked to heart disease and premature death. However, other research has found only a modest association or no association with cardiovascular disease.

The high amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol in beef can increase people’s LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart attacks, said Dr. Walter C. Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard TH. Chan School of Public Health.

Red meat contains iron, an important nutrient. But when too much iron is consumed, it causes inflammation that “triggers underlying processes for heart disease,” says Maya Vadiveloo, associate professor in the department of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island and chair of the American Heart’s Lifestyle Nutrition Committee Association. Research has shown that consumption of red meat increases the risk of diabetes.

Research links processed meat to heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Current guidelines advise people to choose fresh lean meat over processed products such as hot dogs and sausages.

The committee’s report still needs to be finalized and sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. HHS and USDA say they will post the report online later this year. The public will then have 60 days to submit comments. The agencies will consider the recommendations and expect to release the new dietary guidelines by the end of 2025.

The government does not always follow the recommendations of its scientific advisory committee. The advisory committee for the 2020 guidelines recommended significantly lowering the limits on added sugars and alcohol consumption. The government has rejected the cuts.

Write to Andrea Petersen at [email protected]