To the meat lovers, this may either be a good or a bad news for you. Eating processed meat – such as hotdogs, salami, luncheon meats or sausages – increases the likelihood of heart disease whereas red meat does not seem to be as harmful. A research group in Harvard University found that people who about 50g of processed meat everyday also raised the risk of diabetes; however, those who ate unprocessed meat such as beef, pork or lamb had no risks even if they ate twice the amount of those who ate processed meat. This was also despite the fact that both, processed and unprocessed meat, have a similar fat content.
The research showed that the difference may lie in the salt and preservatives added to processed meat. Salt increases blood pressure in some people and is also a risk factor for heart disease. In a study conducted on animals it was seen that nitrate preservatives, can further contribute to atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance which can lead to heart problems and diabetes. Processed meats contain about four times more sodium and 50 percent more nitrate preservatives.
Dariush Mozzafarian, assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health and co-author of the study, said that the study also found that the consequence of eating processed meats is dramatic: a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease and almost a 20 percent higher risk of diabetes.
Victoria Taylor, a senior heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said “If you like red meat, this can still be included as part of a balanced heart-healthy diet. Go for lean cuts and aim to cook from scratch using healthier cooking methods like grilling or baking. If you need to add flavor, then try using fresh and dried herbs, spices and chillies instead of salt.” Renata Micha of the Harvard School of Public Health, leader of the study, said “Based on our findings, eating one serving per week or less would be associated with relatively small risk.”
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