Red_meat

For the comic strip, see Red Meat.

Red meat in culinary terminology refers to meat which is red-colored when raw, while in nutritional terminology, it refers to meat from mammals.

Gastronomy: red coloured meat

In gastronomy, "red meat" is darker-colored meat, as contrasted with white meat. The exact definition varies by time, place, and culture, but the meat of adult mammals, such as beef, mutton, and horse is invariably considered "red", while domestic chicken and rabbit are invariably considered "white". The meat of young mammals such as milk-fed veal and lamb, and that of pork is traditionally considered "white"; while the meat of duck and goose is considered "red",Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989 though the demarcation line has been shifting. Game is sometimes put in a separate category altogether (French viandes noires \'black meats\').Larousse Gastronomique, first edition.

Nutrition: mammal meat

In nutrition, "red meat" is synonymous with "mammal meat." The term is often considered misleading, as not all mammal meat appears red, and some non-mammal meat can be red.

Red meat does not refer to how well a piece of meat is cooked or its coloration after cooking. A steak or hamburger is a red meat whether it is served rare, or cooked until it is well-done; pork is also red, though it turns to a whitish color when cooked. According to the USDA all meats obtained from "livestock" are "red meats" because they contain more myoglobin than chicken or fish.USDA-Safety of Fresh Pork...from Farm to Table

Myoglobin Concentration

The main determinant of the color of meat is the concentration of myoglobin. The white meat of chicken has under 0.05%; chicken thigh has 0.18-0.20%; pork and veal have 0.1-0.3%; young beef has 0.4-1.0%; and old beef has 1.5-2.0%.Iowa State Animal Science

In the health discussion below, we assume the nutritional, not the traditional gastronomic, definitions.

Health effects

While red meat is a good source of complete protein and iron, its regular consumption presents several health risks, largely due to the saturated fat content of many cuts. It has been suggested that these health risks are largely absent from grass-fed beef (rather than corn-fed beef).The Omnivore\'s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Cancer

Recent studies indicate that red meat could pose a notable increase in cancer risk. Some studies have linked consumption of large amounts of red meat with breast cancer,Breast Cancer Risk Linked To Red Meat, Study Finds, Washington Post,2005 colorectal cancer,Eating Lots of Red Meat Linked to Colon Cancer, American Cancer SocietyRed meat \'linked to cancer risk\', BBC News, 2005 stomach cancer,Study Links Meat Consumption to Gastric Cancer, National Cancer Institute lymphoma,Study links red meat to some cancers, CNN, 1996 bladder cancer Gary E Fraser (1999) Associations between diet and cancer, ischemic heart disease, and all-cause mortality in non-Hispanic white California Seventh-day Adventists. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 70, No. 3, p.532S-538S and prostate cancer.Edward Giovannucci et al. (1993) A Prospective Study of Dietary Fat and Risk of Prostate Cancer Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 85, No. 19, 1571-1579 Furthermore, there is convincing evidence that consumption of beef, pork, lamb, and goat from domesticated animals is a cause of colorectum cancer."Second Expert Report - Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective" Professor Sheila Bingham of the Dunn Human Nutrition Unit attributes this to the haemoglobin and myoglobin molecules which are found in red meat. She suggests these molecules, when ingested trigger a process called nitrosation in the gut which leads to the formation of carcinogens. BBC NEWS, Red meat \'linked to cancer risk\' , 2005, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4088824.stmBBC NEWS, Red Meat Cancer Risk found, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4662934.stm Overall, the relative risk of developing a fatal cancer in non meat-eaters is 0.61 compared to people who eat red meat regularly.M. Thorogood et al. (1994) Risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. BMJ, v.308, p.1667-1670

Eating cooked red meat may increase the likelihood of cancer because carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines are created during the cooking process. Heterocyclic amines may not explain why red meat is more harmful than other meat, however, as these compounds are also found in poultry and fish, which have not been linked to an increased cancer risk. BBC NEWS, Red meat \'linked to cancer risk\' , 2005, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4088824.stm

Cardiovascular diseases

Red meat has a high content of saturated fat, which is associated with cardiovascular diseases. One study has determined that the death rate of non meat-eaters due to heart diseases is 0.72 compared to meat eaters, although the study stated that no firm conclusion as to the reason for this difference can be made based on the data.

A 1999 study funded by the National Cattlemen\'s Beef Association, an advocacy group for beef producers, involved 191 persons with high cholesterol on diets where at least 80% of the meat intake came from either lean red meat in one group, or lean white meat in another. The results of this study showed nearly identical cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in both groups. This study suggests that lean red meat may play a role in a low-fat diet for persons with high cholesterol. Science Daily, Study Shows Lean Red Meat Can Play A Role In Low-Fat Diet, 1999, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/07/990702075933.htm Archives of Internal Medicine, Comparison of the Effects of Lean Red Meat vs Lean White Meat on Serum Lipid Levels Among Free-living Persons With Hypercholesterolemia, 1999, http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/159/12/1331

Other health issues

Regular consumption of red meat has also been linked to bone loss,Linda K. Massey (2003) Dietary Animal and Plant Protein and Human Bone Health: A Whole Foods Approach. J. Nutr. v.133, p.862S-865S type 2 diabetes,Rob M. van Dam et al. (2002) Dietary Patterns and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in U.S. Men. Volume 136, issue 3, pages 201-209 hypertension and arthritis.

Food pyramid

The traditional food guide pyramid has been criticized for not distinguishing between red meat and other types of meat.^{[citation needed]} The newer My Pyramid recommends lean forms of red meat. United States Department of Agriculture, Inside the Pyramid, 2005, http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/meat.html The healthy eating pyramid recommends that red meat be consumed sparingly. Harvard School of Public Health, The Healthy Eating Pyramid from Harvard School of Public Health, 2006, http://hms.harvard.edu/public/disease/nutrition/bigpyramid.html

Red meat is one of the richest sources of iron. Red meat also contains protein, levels of creatine, minerals such as zinc and phosphorus, and vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B₁₂, thiamin and riboflavin. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, Red Meats: Nutrient Contributions to the Diet, September 1990, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/fntr2/mf974.pdf Red meat is the richest source of Alpha Lipoic Acid, a powerful antioxidant. The Nutrition Reporter™ newsletter, Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Quite Possibly the "Universal" Antioxidant, July 1996, http://www.thenutritionreporter.com/Alpha-Lipoic.html

Culture

In some cultures eating red meat is considered a "masculine" activity, possibly due to traditions of hunting big game as a male rite of passage.

References

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