Is Eating Less Red Meat Your New Year's Resolution? Read This.
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Plant-based diets have recently spiked in popularity. Last year, about 65% of people surveyed said they planned to eat more meatless meals. That’s a good sign: While evidence is mixed, a number of studies have linked eating a lot of red or processed meat to an increased risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. What’s more, the livestock industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, one study found that if everyone ate 25% less beef, pork, and poultry, we could reduce emissions by more than 1%—about 82 million metric tons annually!
What is red meat, and should you really consider cutting back?
Red meat includes beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, and goat. Processed meat has been salted, cured, fermented, smoked, or otherwise processed and includes hot dogs, ham, bacon, sausage, corned beef, and beef jerky. Research has found that with higher consumption of processed meats comes higher risk of chronic diseases, cancer, and death.
What are the benefits of cutting back?
Some research shows that vegetarians and vegans have lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood glucose than meat eaters. They also appear to have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
So what about eggs and seafood?
When many people hear the word “vegetarian,” they imagine an eating plan that eschews animal products altogether, but that’s a vegan diet. Vegetarians focus on eating fruits, vegetables, dried beans and peas, grains, seeds, and nuts while forgoing meat, poultry, and seafood. That said, there are different eating patterns adjacent to vegetarianism. One is a flexitarian way of eating, which emphasizes a plant-based diet but makes room for occasional servings of eggs, dairy products, and even meat, poultry, and seafood. A pescatarian diet eliminates meat and poultry but allows seafood. A lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products, while an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs.
Don’t we need the protein red meat offers?
Humans can get the protein and essential fatty acids we need from other sources, including wild-caught cold-water fish, omega-3–rich free-range eggs, and tofu, beans, and nuts.
What are some strategies for eating less meat?
Start swapping. Opt for other protein sources. If you need to, ease into the idea by swapping out only a portion of the meat in a recipe, then decrease the amount further over time.
Pump up the produce. Aim for five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. They provide essential nutrients as well as fiber.
Make Mondays meatless. Cook a plant-based meal at least once a week.
Choose wisely. If you do choose to eat meat, limit it to once or twice a week, avoid processed varieties, and if possible opt for grass-fed, grass-finished beef, wild game, or bison. You’ll do your body—and the planet—a favor.
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