The latest from a study done at Harvard University and published in Circulation: “eating as little as 2 ounces of processed meat per day — a few strips of bacon, a hot dog or smoked sausage — increased the risk of heart disease by 42 percent and the risk of diabetes by 19 percent.” However, these effects were not found in unprocessed red meats, like roasts and steaks.
We have long heard that red meat is “bad” for you, that it increases your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol, and contributes to obesity. While it is true that meat tends to be high in fat (though there are several cuts– like sirloin– and animals –like buffalo or venison– that are, in fact, quite lean), this new evidence indicates that it is not the evil many people see it as.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the demonization of various foods, and how we tend to jump on the “____ is bad for you” bandwagon. Remember when eggs were bad for you? When the best diet was a “low fat” one, or one free of carbs? New research is released on an almost daily basis, but even without actual scientific evidence to confuse us, misinformation, anecdotal evidence, and hearsay influence what we eat every day. One study does not a fact make, and studies are often mis-represented and taken out of context when they move into the mainstream media.
I’m not really sure what I’m trying to say– something about looking at the biases of people championing theories and beliefs about what is and isn’t good for you, I guess. The bottom line is, eat whatever you’re comfortable eating, whatever makes you feel best physically and emotionally.
Read about the study here.
