For the last 50 years, we been led to believe that red meat is bad for us. We have been told again and again that eating red meat has led to surging rates of heart disease and that the reduction of red meat is more conducive to a healthy diet. But are these beliefs, that we have been led to believe are fact, really true? Did humans evolve on a primarily plant-based diet and just in the modern era, our meat consumption has increased? Did this increase truly lead to the rise of heart disease that we see today? Do all these facts really pass the smell test?
To get to the truth we must once again turn to our prehistoric ancestors for a glimpse into how humans ate for thousands of generations prior to the agricultural revolution when our diets shifted rapidly. Research has proven that for millions of years; prehistoric humans were mainly carnivorous with a diet of game meat from large animals such as mammoths and other prehistoric megafauna. This research is backed up, not only by examining archeological evidence of hunting habits but also by studying the bodies of modern humans today. The acidity of the human stomach and the way our bodies store fat are some hints to the fact that the human body evolved on a hyper-carnivorous diet. Humans were dependent on meat, so much so, that there is evidence that the extinction of large animals was in part due to the hunting practices of ancient man.
Evidence also shows that around the same time as populations of megafauna decreased and eventually went extinct, humans were forced to find new secure sources of food. Specialized tools for processing plants only appear in the later stages of the stone age, providing more evidence that plants only became a primary food source in the later stages of our evolution. This shift would eventually lead to the domestication of plants and animals in the agricultural revolution. It was at this time that crops such, as different grains, rice, and corn played a primary role in the diets of humans.
So, if humans did in fact, evolve on a meat-based diet, is there truth to the claim that the increase of meat consumption in the past few generations has led to negative health impacts? Perhaps we should dive a little deeper into those claims, when they first appeared, and why.
In the 1950s, a physiologist by the name of Ancel Keys hypothesized that saturated fat was the cause of the surging rates of heart disease in the United States. Keys came up with a study called, the 7-country study, to examine the relationship between diet and the prevalence of coronary heart disease and stoke. His findings suggested that rates of heart attack and stroke correlated to blood cholesterol levels which are negatively impacted by saturated fat.
While this study did encourage healthier lifestyles, including being more active, it began a sort of witch hunt against red meat, which became a target for many as it contained the highest amount of saturated fat and therefore, had to go.
The problem with the study, many critics have pointed out, is that not only did Keys cherry pick the 7 countries in his study, he also had biases when comparing saturated fat consumption and sugar consumption. Keys stated that sugar intake was “not statistically significant related to incidence of heart disease when dietary saturated fat was controlled for.” Of course, today we know that sugar intake increases the disk of diabetes and is associated with high blood pressure.
Also, around the time of the study in the United States, smoking was on a real high. Doctors were advocating from the practice, recommending the “safest” cigarettes, and appearing in commercials saying smoking was not harmful. In 1955, when President Dwight D Eisenhower suffered a very serious heart attack, it was blamed on saturated fat. The fact that he smoked almost 4 packs of cigarettes each day, was not taken into consideration, a fact we now know is a big cause of heart disease today.
Now, today, we are told to reduce red meat in our diets in favour of fish and seafood to help lower our risk of heart disease, but the powers that be, neglect to inform us about the high levels of TMAO Or (trimethylamine N-Oxide) that are in fish and seafood.
TMAO can have a grave impact on our health leading to heart disease. In reality, red meat from a cow that is raised and finished on grass has a much lower rate of TMAO than fish or seafood. So again, context is very important. Don’t be fooled people, there really is not a study, that will support the notion that red meat is bad for us. Most of these studies are based on memory biased assessments, which are not valid and are not true science.
So for decades now, we have been told time and time again, and in many different ways that we have to eliminate saturated fat from our diets and stop eating red meat because it is bad for us. In my personal opinion, I think there is far too much concern about eliminating certain items from our diets and not nearly enough focus on the quality of the food we are consuming and the lifestyle choices we make outside of our diets.
We have to take into context how we are consuming the red meat in out diets. Large portions of the population consume red meat in unhealthy forms such as a McDonalds Big Mac with all the sauce and sugary toppings, which when consumed, have a non-favourable reaction in in our bodies. Many people over indulge in processed foods containing unsafe levels of salt, sugar and other additives. Moreover, many of these same people are living sedentary lives, not exercising and not balancing unhealthy options with healthy, whole foods. If we instead we consume a grilled 6oz new York strip lion seasoned with healthier toppings like Redmond’s Real salt, with a few grilled vegetables on the side, this will have a favourable reaction in our bodies.
Here we are in 2023, our consumption of red meat has dropped to its lowest level in 40 years, but the rates of heart disease and diabetes have risen to an all time high. So maybe it is time to stop demonizing red meat and look inward to our own personal choices and how we consume not only meat, but food in general. Sedentary lifestyles have become the norm for the west, with more people working at desks and spending less time exercising. Fast food consumption has never been more rampant as quick and easy meals have taken priority over healthy, nutrient-rich options.
So next time you are digging into a strip loin steak or however else you enjoy a good serving of red meat, know that if you are consuming red meat that is of good quality and not smothering it with an unhealthy, sugar packed sauce, you are making a good choice for your body. If you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, reducing alcohol consumption, avoiding processed foods, and getting enough exercise, then you are on the right path and should have good outcomes when it comes to heart disease.