Relying on red meat for your dietary protein may increase your risk of heart disease, but you can include beef, pork and game meats in a healthy eating plan if you watch your portions and eliminate excess fat, according to MayoClinic.com. By choosing lean cuts, removing as much fat as possible and limiting consumption, you can enjoy the flavor of red meat and benefit from its protein and iron content while maintaining a healthy heart.
Health Risks
The grain-fed red meat that's widely available to consumers is high in saturated fat, which is the main factor in raising blood cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association, or AHA. Found in red meat and other animal products, saturated fat raises the amount of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, in your bloodstream. LDL, commonly known as "bad" cholesterol," allows fatty plaques to form on arterial walls when it circulates in your blood at elevated levels. The buildup of fat causes arteries to narrow and harden, compromising cardiac blood flow and increasing your risk of heart disease.
Research
In a study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, in 2010, researchers reported that women who ate two servings of red meat daily were 30 percent more likely to develop heart disease than women who ate half of a serving per day. Women who replaced red meat with other protein sources, such as fish or poultry, had a significantly lower risk of heart disease. Although the study focused on the effects of red meat on women's cardiovascular health, Dr. Adam M. Bernstein of the Harvard School of Public Health says that red meat has a similar effect on men. Omitting red meat or minimizing intake may reduce heart disease in the general population, say Bernstein and his co-authors.
Reducing Fat
The cut of red meat that you choose and the way you prepare it make a difference in saturated fat content, according to MayoClinic.com. Cuts of meat labeled "round" or "loin" tend to have the least fat. Choose the best cuts -- Choice or Select -- and look for ground beef that has 90 percent lean meat or greater. Before cooking meat, trim all visible fat. Use low-fat preparation methods such as grilling or roasting, and place meat on a rack to allow excess fat to drip into the baking pan. MayoClinic.com suggests rinsing cooked meat in water and blotting away any remaining fat with a paper towel before serving.
Healthy Portions
A 3-oz. serving of beef or pork -- about two slices of lean meat -- can be part of a low-fat, low-calorie meal, says MayoClinic.com. Balance a small serving of red meat with larger servings of vegetables and whole grains to enjoy the flavor of red meat and benefit from its nutrients while avoiding excess saturated fat. The AHA advises restricting saturated fat to less than 7 percent of your daily calories to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Protein Alternatives
Game meats such as venison, elk, buffalo and ostrich are becoming popular alternatives to grain-fed livestock. According to data from the University of Wyoming, 100g of raw grain-fed beef has 5g of fat, compared to 1.4g of fat in 100g of bison and 2g in 100g of elk. However, substituting fish, tofu, legumes or skinless poultry for red meat may be your best option for avoiding heart disease, according to Bernstein.
References
- American Heart Association: Choosing Healthier Protein-Rich Foods Instead of Red and Processed Meats May Reduce Heart Disease Risk in Women
- MayoClinic.com: How Meat and Poultry Fit in Your Healthy Diet
- American Heart Association: Why Cholesterol Matters
- University of Wyoming College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service: Nutritional Content of Game Meat
