21 days of BLOG Updates! Day 1
Happy New Year!
DAY 1: Red and Processed Meat Products: No Safe Amount
Americans love meat.
More than 50% the meat we consume is RED Meat, while 25% of the meat consumed is PROCESSED Meats. Processed meat (including bacon, deli, sausage and hot dogs) is meat that has been preserved with additives or manipulated to its alter color, taste, and durability.
There is strong evidence that consumption of both red meat and processed meat products can lead to increased risk for many diseases, including high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. For instance:
- Processed meat products are high in sodium which can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney failure, heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes.
- These meats are high in saturated fat, which can lead to obesity and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of Americans.
- The high saturated fat in red and processed meat products causes fat buildup in cells which can lead to the development of diabetes.
- Both red and processed meat products contain high levels of N-nitroso compounds which are associated with an increased risk of cancers of the pancreas, stomach, bladder and colon.
In order to PREVENT these diseases, AVOID red and processed meat!
Choosing to replace just one serving of red or processed meats a day with nuts or legumes can decrease your risk for developing these diseases by 10-19%!
Click here to read more about this from the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine.