Five things you should know about red meat

People have always argued that goat’s meat could be healthier. You have probably seen someone eat a platter of meat and some have claimed that pork is not red meat but all meat from mammals regardless of the cut or ages are red meats because they contain myoglobin an oxygen-carrying protein.
According to Dr Richard Kalungi, a health communication specialist at Royal Health Care, red meat, also referred to as dark meat, is that meat which is red when raw and dark after cooking.

List of red meats
Red meat includes mutton, beef, pork, goat’s meat, hot dogs, sausages, sandwich meat, packaged ham pepperoni, salami meat from hunting, horse meat and patridges. Mark Alex Kakooza, a nutritionist at Homart, says sometimes people mistake pork for white meat but it is important to note that pork contains a considerably high amount of myoglobin, a protein in meat that holds oxygen in the muscle and determines the colour of meat. Pork contains more myoglobin than chicken or fish thereby making it a red meat.

Preparation
Red meat boils at a higher temperature than the white meat because of the saturated fats but high temperature cooking like grilling of any muscle meat such as red meat, poultry and fish can generate compounds in food that may increase cancer risk.
Kakooza warns people to choose lean red meat while grilling to reduce the heavy smoke which can leave the carcinogens in the meat and cook over medium heat rather than direct heat. Grilling helps to melt the fat. Limit frying and roasting which subject meat to high temperatures.
“Do not overcook but make sure that meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature to kill bacteria that can cause food borne illnesses, Kakooza warns. “Trim off all easily accessible fat from meat before cooking and remove burnt pieces before eating. Add no fat or oil to the meat while cooking,” he adds.
When you season red meat, do not use salt or other sodium ingredients: acidic ingredients such as lemon juice work better. The healthiest ways to cook red meat is by grilling, baking and broiling.

Dangers
The meat industry contends that there is no link between red meat, processed meats and cancer and says lean red meat fits into a heart healthy diet but the association between consumption of red and processed meats and colorectal cancer is consistent.
“Eating red and unprocessed meat greatly increases your risk of catching colorectal cancer in people with a genetic predisposition. Women who eat a lot of red meat frequently double the risk of developing hormone sensitive breast cancer,” says Dr Kalungi.
A compound found in red meat called carnitine has been known to cause clogging and hardening of the arteries which will in the long run cause cardiovascular diseases which increases your mortality risk.
Diets rich in animal products contribute to increased risk of obesity as well as type II diabetes.
The high iron content in the red meat when eaten in excess can raise the iron levels in the brain and may cause Alzheimer’s disease because when the iron in the brain accumulates, the coat on the nerve fibres is destroyed which disrupts brain communication.
Processed meat is very dangerous because it contains many harmful chemicals that are not naturally present in the fresh meat. Some of the packaged meats contain sodium nitrite which is used to make the meat look fresh. The nitrite results in the formation of cancer causing agents in the human body.
It is therefore important to read ingredient labels and do not buy anything made with sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate.

Dietary content
Iron levels. “Red meat is loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and minerals such as selenium,” says Kakooza. Red meat contains high iron levels which teenage girls and women need in their child bearing years. It also contains Vitamin B12 needed in the formation of DNA and keeps nerve and red blood cells healthy and zinc for a healthy immune system. Red meat contains proteins which are muscle and bone building.”

Nutrient make up. The iron content found in beef is much higher and more available for use in the body than from any other food source. It is rich in Vitamins A, B, E and D. mutton and pork has similar nutrient makeup like that of beef but when pork is smoked to make bacon, it contains more sodium and other additives.
Saturated fats. Dr Kalungi says, “Red meat however is high in saturated fat which raises blood cholesterol and excessive intake of these exposes you to high risks of heart diseases. Saturated fats contained in the red meat when heated during cooking are known to become carcinogens which are linked to colon and breast cancers.”

Alternatives
Animal sources of proteins are the most unsafe and avoiding meat would be the best option but if is inevitable, make a better selection in the type of meat to eat and limit the proportions with less frequency. Choose to have more white or light meat than the red meat because the white meat has lesser fats or you can choose to go vegetarian. Skin from all poultry should be removed before cooking.
Kakooza says, “White meats such as fish, chicken, turkey are recommended. However, duck and goose meat are considered red meat.
Legumes such as dried beans, soybeans, peas, nuts, lentils and whole grain cereals and oatmeal pumpkins, sunflower, cashews, squash are good substitutes to red meat.”

Expert take
Dr Kalungi adds, “Every 100g of processed meat consumed have a 13 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, obesity and type II diabetes because of the interactions with the body cholesterol. This is also likely to cause prostate, breast, pancreatic and colon cancers.”

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