Is meat important for our diet?

Did you know that humans have been consuming meat throughout history and anthropologists consider this as one of the leading factors in the evolution of larger brains?[1]

Despite this there is an ever-increasing push to reduce our meat consumption with alarming claims by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that eating red meat causes cancer[2] despite the observational data used to support such claims being very weak and unreliable. In fact, research that failed to find a correlation was omitted.[3]

Biased research aside, it is important to consider the health benefits of red meat in the diet. Red meat is a nutrient dense food that provides important amounts of protein, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Highly bioavailable iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins are often lacking in diets today leading to deficiencies. Consuming just a few ounces of beef per week can alleviate the shortfall according to research by Klurfield, 2015.[4]

Amino acids are equally important. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin with deficiencies leading to depression and insomnia. Phenylalanine produces tyrosine which acts as a building block for thyroid hormones and dopamine. Taurine is the building block for bile, allowing us to digest and assimilate fat as well as absorb omega 3s. Every amino acid has a specific purpose in the body and any deficiencies can reign havoc in our system.[5]   Cells use these amino acids to synthesise new proteins as we need them to build muscle tissue, manufacture antibodies and replace red blood cells.

In addition to offering significant protein, meat provides a wide variety of minerals to support the optimal functioning of our cells and tissues. For instance, it is an important source of both iron and zinc. Iron helps carry oxygen to and throughout our tissues, while zinc is required for a strong immune system, wound healing, and enzyme activity within our cells. The phosphorus content of meat helps keep our bones strong, the sulphur it contains can be incorporated into new amino acids and the chromium found in meat assists in metabolizing our dietary sugars.[6]

Meat is a normal part of a healthy diet, especially if meat is selected from grass-fed animals raised humanely instead of the commercial meat that comes from confined animal operations. Choosing ethically raised meat helps get all the advantages of meat without negatively impacting the health of the planet.

References:

[1] Eating meat led to smaller stomachs, bigger brains – Harvard Gazette

[2] Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat (who.int)

[3] Red Meat Does NOT Cause Cancer, Study Concludes | Beef Magazine

[4] Klurfeld, D.M . 2015. Research gaps in evaluating the relationship of meat and health. Meat Sci. 109:86–95. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.05.022

[5] Meat's Nutrient Density — Heal Endo

[6] The Disadvantages of a Diet With Little Meat (sfgate.com)