Regular red meat consumption may hasten a person’s death from heart disease and cancer. Two large studies, the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study, included more than 120,000 people who were followed for more than 20 years. The volunteers filled out detailed dietary questionnaires every four years. Analysis of the results revealed that those who ate one daily serving of red meat such as beef, pork or lamb increased their risk of dying during the study by 13 percent. Those who ate processed meat like bacon, bologna, hot dogs or ham increased their likelihood of premature death by 20 percent. The authors suggest substituting fish, chicken, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts and legumes for red meat.
[Archives of Internal Medicine, online March 12, 2012]
The People's Perspective on Medicine