What happens if you constantly eat meat? Rules for eating meat products
- Anatoly Skalny, specialist in bioelementology, doctor medical sciences, Professor.
- Stanislav Drobyshevsky, anthropologist, Researcher Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov.
- Marina Popovich, dietician-nutritionist, researcher at the State Research Institute of Preventive Medicine.
“Meat makes you grow old”, “meat is poison” - whether we like it or not, the discussion around “meat-eating” and the myths surrounding it are mixed with real facts imprinted on the mind. In order to understand whether the human body really needs meat and what it is possible harm, we turned to specialists. Their arguments.
Followers of vegetarianism convince us that meat is a sinful food, incompatible with spiritual growth, and that the energy of slaughtered animals harms not only spiritual, but also physical health.
This idea is not new at all, it has archaic roots: in primitive tribes they believed that by eating the meat of an animal, a person appropriates its qualities - courage, cunning, speed of reaction, visual acuity, etc. The modern version of these ideas is as follows: that whoever eats meat becomes aggressive or stupid - in a word, strengthens his animal qualities and degrades. This is a matter of faith, not scientific evidence.
Are humans really born carnivores?
According to the structure of your body and digestive system We differ from both predators and herbivores. Man is omnivorous, in a sense universal. This omnivorous nature once gave us a certain evolutionary advantage: compared to plant foods, meat quickly fills us up, but in its raw form it requires a lot of energy to digest, so all predators sleep after hunting. When a human ancestor learned to cook meat on fire, he was able to use time not only to obtain his daily bread, but also to intellectual activity- rock painting, making tools.
Can plant foods replace meat for us?
Partly. The protein content in meat is 20-40%, while in boiled vegetables, legumes - from 3% to 10%. Nuts and soy contain amounts of protein comparable to meat, but, unfortunately, this protein is less digestible. Energy and vital building materials obtained from meat are quickly included in metabolic processes. And for the digestion and absorption of foods plant origin the body often needs to apply more effort (enzymes, digestive juices) for each unit extracted useful substance. The point is also that plant foods contain substances that bind beneficial nutrients, such as phytin, tannins, and dietary fiber.
Is it true that “meat makes you grow old”?
It is a myth. Optimal consumption of animal proteins is one of the main prerequisites for good immunity. A deficiency of building components (proteins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, etc., mainly obtained from meat) in the tissues of the musculoskeletal system reduces bone density and leads to weakness of muscles and joints. For example, selenium deficiency causes muscle dystrophy, including heart muscle, and dystrophy connective tissue- ligaments, joints. In short, they age quickly due to a lack of animal protein in the diet. Although its excess is also harmful.
What's the harm?
Too much high content protein in the diet leads to calcium loss and overload of the urinary system, increasing the risk cardiovascular diseases, strokes and tumors. High protein intake may be justified by increased physical activity. And with an inactive lifestyle, the harm from excess meat on the menu will be more than good.
How much meat to eat and how often?
Of course, this is a purely individual question. But you can answer it based on WHO recommendations: approximately 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight is recommended for an adult per day. Moreover, this norm should only consist of half of animal protein, and the rest of vegetable protein. This yields about 50 grams of meat per day. On the other hand, according to WHO statistics, those who consume more than 100 grams of red meat daily have a much higher risk of developing stomach cancer. Therefore, it is recommended to consume it no more than three times a week, and the rest of the time to replace it with white poultry meat, fish, and liver.
Is it true that meat is the main supplier of toxins that enter our body?
This is true. But this is more likely due to the quality of the meat and the conditions under which it is produced: when raising animals, antibiotics, hormones, and feed saturated with various chemicals are used. During storage and sale, meat is treated with preservatives.
Are there ways to somehow reduce the harm, to minimize it?
Give preference to fresh meat rather than meat products and semi-finished products. Rinse, or even better, soak the meat in cold water. Ideally, do not use the first broth (that is, bring the water in which the meat is cooked to a boil, drain, pour in again cold water and cook the broth). However, in “organic” meat or in the meat of wild animals these chemical substances practically absent.
Ethics, economics, ecology
Humanity should consider these three aspects
Tens of billions of animals a year are killed for food. Crowded and bad conditions, in which they are grown is not just an ethical issue. This artificial growing system leads to an increasingly massive use of hormones, antibiotics, etc., which ultimately affects our health. In addition, livestock farming is one of the most environmentally polluting industries. According to environmentalists at the US Environmental Protection Agency, it accounts for 28% of all methane emitted into the atmosphere.
And finally, the economy: animals raised for meat, for example in the United States, consume five times more grain than the entire population of this country, calculated David Pimentel, a professor at Cornell University (USA). This grain could feed approximately 800 million people, he claims. So-called organic meat on a human scale is a real luxury. What's the solution? In 2006, a group of scientists from the Netherlands patented a special meat production technology that makes it possible to grow a steak of a given structure and fat content from individual cells. This is currently a very expensive procedure, but one can hope that over time it will be significantly cheaper than raising animals.
TEXT: Masha Budrite
ANSWERS TO MOST QUESTIONS THAT CONCERN US We are all used to searching online. In this series of materials, we ask exactly these questions - burning, unexpected or common - to professionals in a variety of fields.
IN Lately All more people refuse meat: some for ethical reasons, others for health reasons. And yet, what is better - eating meat or being a vegetarian? Does meat really contain essential substances and which ones? Can vegetarian food be balanced? Is it true that meat is a carcinogen? We asked these questions to an expert.
Masha Budrite
nutritionist, graduate of King's College London
It is believed that our ancestors stopped being vegetarians about two and a half million years ago - and then they did not even know how to hunt or make fire, so they ate raw meat from dead animals. Half a million years ago, hunting became part of a way of life, and ten thousand years BC, people began to domesticate animals. Both hunting and Agriculture required communication between people, and therefore the development of the brain - that is, meat-eating indirectly contributed to human evolution. Recently, researchers found that meat-eating allowed our ancestors to reduce the period of feeding newborns and the interval between births - that is, increase fertility.
Of course, the most important thing that meat, eggs and milk give us is protein High Quality. Animal proteins are closer in composition to human proteins than plant proteins, and therefore the body absorbs them more easily. Nevertheless, eating exclusively plant foods can just as successfully cover the body's needs for essential amino acids - if the diet is varied enough. One of the problems with a vegetarian diet is the lack of two essential amino acids - lysine and tryptophan, which are also needed for the formation of collagen (the protein of ligaments, skin and nails). But this need can be satisfied by eating legumes, soy, seeds and nuts.
One of the most important microelements for humans is iron. It is needed for the synthesis of enzymes, and also for the transfer of oxygen in the blood - iron is part of its hemoglobin protein. According to WHO, anemia caused by iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, affecting more than two billion people. The risk group primarily includes populations with limited access to meat.
There is iron in plant products, but in animals, as in humans, it is included in chemical complex called heme - and that, in turn, is part of the hemoglobin molecule. So, heme iron, that is, iron from animal products, is absorbed much better. In addition, oxalates, derivatives of oxalic acid, which are present in sorrel, black pepper, celery and, for example, bran, interfere with the absorption of iron. Vitamin C, on the contrary, helps iron to be absorbed. Other processes also affect iron absorption - for example, infections or the immediate need for it.
In principle, some plants contain more iron than meat - but less is absorbed from them. Soybeans contain twice as much iron as beef - but 7% is absorbed from soybeans, and 15% from beef. On the one hand, meat more effectively satisfies the body’s needs for iron, and on the other hand, plant based diet no worse if it is balanced and thought out. In the end, if you have an iron deficiency, you can take a course of it in tablets - you just need to remember the risk of overdose, which manifests itself primarily in disorders gastrointestinal tract.
Animal proteins are closer in composition to human proteins than plant proteins, and therefore the body absorbs them more easily
An important substance that is present only in animal products is vitamin B12. It is needed for normal operation nervous system and for the formation of blood cells, and its best source is the liver. Vitamin B12 is not produced by plants at all - but if you avoid meat, you can get it from fish, eggs and dairy products. Vegan products like soy milk and cheese are also fortified with vitamin B12. , which is necessary for normal muscle contractility, including the heart, can be found primarily in dairy products. If you don't eat them, for example, because you are lactose intolerant, then know that calcium is found in green vegetables like broccoli, figs, oranges and nuts.
Calcium is necessary for the absorption of calcium, which can be obtained from oily fish and eggs, as well as from foods enriched with this vitamin. As you know, the main “source” of vitamin D is the sun, since it is produced under the influence of ultraviolet rays. The British Dietetic Association recommends spending at least 15 minutes a day in the sun between April and September, and taking a vitamin D supplement in other months. Unfortunately, just being in the sun is usually not enough - after all, we protect our skin from ultraviolet radiation (and do it right).
Many have already tried and appreciated such newfangled raw beef dishes as carpaccio and tartare. However, not every gourmet is confident in their complete safety. It is quite possible that you are wondering whether it is permissible to indulge in such culinary delights; is it possible to eat raw red meat without risk to your health?
Let's try to figure it all out together, and hopefully with the most common myths about meat.
Should you eat meat?
A long time ago, scientists found that a person can easily do without meat. More than 800 million vegetarians, which is 1/6 of the population globe, have proven this by their own example. The reality is that there is nothing about meat that you can't live without. Another thing is that it is rich in proteins, iron and vitamin B12 - all those nutrients, which are extremely problematic to obtain while sitting on a strict vegetarian diet.
Thus, meat is a valuable food source, which should be completely abandoned only with an eye to moral and ethical views or medical indications– kidney disease, cancer.
Raw or cooked?
From the point of view of a nutritionist, when heated, the nutritional value of meat does not suffer much, since the proteins are preserved almost completely. However, it was noticed that under the influence high temperature Those enzymes in meat that help the body digest it are destroyed (autolysis). To digest thermally processed meat, the body spends its reserves of vitamins and enzymes. At frequent use It is quite possible that they are temporarily deficient, which can immediately lead to problems on the skin. Rashes on the face can be caused by an overload of the body with products of incomplete protein processing. The liver and kidneys cannot cope with the elimination of harmful molecules, and they exit through the skin. Raw red meat is completely digestible and has no such disadvantage.
On average, cooked food requires twice as much as raw food. For example, to absorb 20 g of protein you need to eat or 100 g raw meat, or 200 g – boiled. It is clear that in addition to the proteins from boiled meat, we will get twice as much fat, which is extremely undesirable.
It is also interesting to know that after eating thermally processed food, including meat heated above 80 C, the blood picture changes. The number of leukocytes increases sharply, as happens during an infectious disease. Extra shake immune system is not always desirable, especially if a person has a tendency to allergic diseases. Raw meat does not give such a reaction.
It is important to remember that when smoking and frying meat, the content of mutagens in it sharply increases, which increases the risk of malignant diseases.
The dangers of raw red meat
So, there are quite a few arguments in favor of eating meat raw. However, you should remember the risk of helminth infection. Very rare, but still there are cases of infection with teniarinhoz or bull tapeworm. A person can become ill by eating raw or undercooked or undercooked meat that has been infested with fins (invasive larvae). Of course, veterinary control will never allow such meat to enter the market, but even expensive restaurants are not immune from such a risk. By the way, steaks “rare” are still fried for 2-3 minutes on each side at a temperature of 200 °C.
If you want to cook carpaccio or tartare at home, freeze the meat at -15°C for 5 days. This is exactly what is needed according to veterinary standards to completely protect yourself from infection with bovine tapeworm.
It should be recognized that in our time, cases of infection with teniarhynchosis are very rare, since in most restaurants meat is stored frozen.
These days, the theory that red meat causes cancer has already been debunked. It turned out that the increase in the number oncological diseases was caused by eating heavily fried beef, namely in the form of barbecue. As we already know, heat treatment greatly increases the content of mutagens. Therefore, it is not the red meat itself that causes cancer, but the way it is prepared.
In conclusion, I will say the following. If you are just going to try raw meat dishes, then you should choose a good restaurant that cares about the reputation of the establishment. There you can eat carpaccio and rare steaks without fear. In fact, it's much more healthly food than, for example, French fries and roast beef.
- Anatoly Skalny, specialist in bioelementology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor.
- Stanislav Drobyshevsky, anthropologist, researcher at the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov.
- Marina Popovich, dietician-nutritionist, researcher at the State Research Institute of Preventive Medicine.
“Meat makes you grow old”, “meat is poison” - whether we like it or not, the discussion around “meat-eating” and the myths surrounding it, mixed with real facts, are imprinted in our consciousness. In order to understand whether the human body really needs meat and what the possible harm is, we turned to specialists. Their arguments.
Followers of vegetarianism convince us that meat is a sinful food, incompatible with spiritual growth, and that the energy of slaughtered animals harms not only spiritual, but also physical health.
This idea is not new at all, it has archaic roots: in primitive tribes they believed that by eating the meat of an animal, a person appropriates its qualities - courage, cunning, speed of reaction, visual acuity, etc. The modern version of these ideas is as follows: that whoever eats meat becomes aggressive or stupid - in a word, strengthens his animal qualities and degrades. This is a matter of faith, not scientific evidence.
Are humans really born carnivores?
In terms of the structure of our body and digestive system, we differ from both predators and herbivores. Man is omnivorous, in a sense universal. This omnivorous nature once gave us a certain evolutionary advantage: compared to plant foods, meat quickly fills us up, but in its raw form it requires a lot of energy to digest, so all predators sleep after hunting. When a human ancestor learned to cook meat over a fire, he got the opportunity to use his time not only to get his daily bread, but also for intellectual activity - rock painting, making tools.
Can plant foods replace meat for us?
Partly. The protein content in meat is 20-40%, while in boiled vegetables and legumes it is from 3% to 10%. Nuts and soy contain amounts of protein comparable to meat, but, unfortunately, this protein is less digestible. Energy and vital building materials obtained from meat are quickly included in metabolic processes. And to digest and assimilate products of plant origin, the body often needs to apply more effort (enzymes, digestive juices) for each unit of extracted useful substance. The point is also that plant foods contain substances that bind beneficial nutrients, such as phytin, tannins, and dietary fiber.
Is it true that “meat makes you grow old”?
It is a myth. Optimal consumption of animal proteins is one of the main prerequisites for good immunity. A deficiency of building components (proteins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, etc., mainly obtained from meat) in the tissues of the musculoskeletal system reduces bone density and leads to weakness of muscles and joints. For example, selenium deficiency causes muscle dystrophy, including cardiac muscle, and connective tissue dystrophy - ligaments, joints. In short, they age quickly due to a lack of animal protein in the diet. Although its excess is also harmful.
What's the harm?
Too much protein in the diet leads to calcium loss and overload of the urinary system, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, strokes and tumors. High protein intake may be justified by increased physical activity. And with an inactive lifestyle, the harm from excess meat on the menu will be more than good.
How much meat to eat and how often?
Of course, this is a purely individual question. But you can answer it based on WHO recommendations: approximately 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight is recommended for an adult per day. Moreover, this norm should only consist of half of animal protein, and the rest of vegetable protein. This yields about 50 grams of meat per day. On the other hand, according to WHO statistics, those who consume more than 100 grams of red meat daily have a much higher risk of developing stomach cancer. Therefore, it is recommended to consume it no more than three times a week, and the rest of the time to replace it with white poultry meat, fish, and liver.
Is it true that meat is the main supplier of toxins that enter our body?
This is true. But this is more likely due to the quality of the meat and the conditions under which it is produced: when raising animals, antibiotics, hormones, and feed saturated with various chemicals are used. During storage and sale, meat is treated with preservatives.
Are there ways to somehow reduce the harm, to minimize it?
Give preference to fresh meat rather than meat products and semi-finished products. Rinse, or even better, soak the meat in cold water. Ideally, do not use the first broth (that is, bring the water in which the meat is cooked to a boil, drain, add cold water again and cook the broth). However, these chemicals are practically absent in “organic” meat or meat from wild animals.
Ethics, economics, ecology
Humanity should consider these three aspects
Tens of billions of animals a year are killed for food. The cramped conditions and poor conditions in which they are raised are not just an ethical issue. This artificial growing system leads to an increasingly massive use of hormones, antibiotics, etc., which ultimately affects our health. In addition, livestock farming is one of the most environmentally polluting industries. According to environmentalists at the US Environmental Protection Agency, it accounts for 28% of all methane emitted into the atmosphere.
And finally, the economy: animals raised for meat, for example in the United States, consume five times more grain than the entire population of this country, calculated David Pimentel, a professor at Cornell University (USA). This grain could feed approximately 800 million people, he claims. So-called organic meat on a human scale is a real luxury. What's the solution? In 2006, a group of scientists from the Netherlands patented a special meat production technology that makes it possible to grow a steak of a given structure and fat content from individual cells. This is currently a very expensive procedure, but one can hope that over time it will be significantly cheaper than raising animals.
A person is what he eats, and it’s hard to argue with that.
After all, food is the only source of building material for our body.
In this article, meat is weighed on the control scale – which will outweigh: the beneficial properties of meat or the harmful ones?
Why meat is good for: who and in what portions
There are a lot of people who are inclined towards “meat eating”. And this is confirmed by significant positive points consumption of meat products.
Who benefits from meat, and in what doses should it be consumed?
It is worth noting that meat consumption also depends on human activity.
Who should increase the dose of meat consumption to 100-150 g per day?
People experiencing severe physical exercise
For children and elderly
Young people during puberty
For athletes
Pregnant
For people with heavy physical labor, meat, due to its protein content, will help restore lost strength. Athletes are sure that it is almost impossible to gain muscle mass without meat products.
Doctors instruct pregnant girls to include meat in their diet. A deficiency of B vitamins, which meat is so rich in, can lead to visual and hearing impairments in the unborn baby.
Growing bodies need meat for full development brain, maintenance muscle mass and stabilization of hemoglobin levels.
Meat is recommended for older people due to the fact that memory function weakens with age due to vitamin B12 deficiency. This vitamin is found in animal products. Meat also contains collagen, which is designed to slow down the aging process. Nutritionists recommend eating dietary chicken meat, since in old age the body is weakened and you should not overload it with heavy food.
Beneficial properties of meat: is it possible to do without it?
Bring meat into your daily diet or not? — everyone has their own answer to this question. In general, you can live without meat by replacing your intake of animal protein with other products, but is it worth it?
Meat is a powerful protein boost. And protein is the basis of all functioning systems in the body. The meat of young animals is especially useful, since it contains a small amount of difficult-to-digest collagen fibers.
Meat contains a huge amount of vitamins, amino acids and microelements, including selenium and zinc. Zinc deficiency threatens sexual dysfunction, deterioration of general health and slow healing wound And selenium is responsible for the normal passage of processes in antioxidant systems body.
Following useful property meat - prevention of anemia! Being a source of iron, meat increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
Meat leads to active brain activity, prevents joint fragility and provides the right amount of vitamin D.
The main and perhaps most significant disadvantage of meat is its heat treatment, during which carcinogens are formed - substances that causing cancer. And it has been proven that people who consume a lot of red meat are more likely to get cancer of the gastrointestinal tract: colon, stomach.
Therefore, it is necessary to carefully select meat. Buy fresh, high-quality and environmentally friendly meat. Try to buy meat from private traders who have own farms with his cattle.
Which meat is healthier: beef, chicken, pork, fish
Each type of meat has its own advantages and disadvantages. We have to figure out which meat is healthier and why?
Unlike other types of meat, chicken is the most harmless and easy on the stomach. Limit yourself in eating chicken meat not necessary.
Chicken meat– one of the main sources of protein. Chicken meat contains 22% protein, beef - 18.4%, and pork contains even less protein - 13.8%. To a greater extent than other types of meat, it contains more unsaturated acids, due to which it is perfectly absorbed and serves as a preventive measure for many heart diseases.
Chicken is an excellent dietary meat that normalizes lipid metabolism, blood pressure and sugar levels.
The fat content of chicken is several percent higher than the fat content of lean pork. By chemical composition they are almost identical.
Store-bought chicken often contains antibiotics added to the feed to increase its weight. Therefore, the meat should be carefully processed and the meat should be boiled, changing the water.
The benefits of pork lies in the vitamins it contains (B12, D) and microelements (phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, iodine).
Pork is a leader in the content of vitamin B1, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system. The benefit of pork also lies in its absorption. Pork is easily digestible and digested by the stomach, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system.
The presence of selenium in pork restores damaged cells, promotes renewal and growth normal cells, protects against heart disease and supports good vision.
Pork also helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
Beef is different high content vitamins and microelements:
Cobalt
Beef has the highest iron content. What is iron? Iron is an element necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin, which ensures the delivery of oxygen to the cells of the body. The advantage of beef is that iron is available in it and is well absorbed.
Beef is a champion in zinc content, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the prostate gland in men.
Boiled beef helps the body recover from colds and infectious diseases.
Beef contains a low amount of fat and is considered lean meat. This quality makes it indispensable for those who want to lose weight and diabetics.
In terms of minimal cholesterol content, white chicken meat is second only to fish, which is often classified as a product that can replace meat. Fish protein is excellent construction material for fabrics. Fish is not inferior in quantity useful microelements and vitamins.
The question “which meat is healthier?” does not have a clear answer. The best solution will combine different types meat with fish. But don’t overload your body and do it several times a week. fasting days eating exclusively light food, fruits and vegetables.
Each type of meat has its own benefits, so choose the meat that is good for you.
Meat for children: good or bad
The presence of meat in the diet of children, according to most doctors, is mandatory. The functioning and development of the body is impossible without protein, amino acids and collagen - substances that meat is so rich in. A number of amino acids contained in meat are necessary for proper development and growth of children. If you decide not to eat meat, you need to find alternative ways intake of animal protein into the body. Otherwise, nervous system disorder, anemia and fragility are ensured. muscle tissue.
Pediatricians recommend starting introduction meat feeding in the form of the least allergenic veal or beef, but mandatory when the baby reaches 1 year. This is explained by the fact that the period active formation the body occurs between 1 and 2 years.
Please note that you need to choose the most dietary and lean meat. Best served boiled. notice, that daily requirement in meat of children under three years of age is 65 g.
Why vegetarians don't eat meat
There are different opinions about vegetarianism. But now more than 10% of the world population have consciously switched to plant image life. And this figure tends to constant growth. Why do people give up meat? There's something for that various kinds causes.
1) Reasons of a moral nature. Vegetarians protect animals and call for not causing them suffering. Caring about the animal world, the thought that you are eating a poor animal that has succumbed to torture and death cannot leave you indifferent.
2) Economic - vegetarians are convinced that eating plant foods will save a lot of money cash. The price of meat, in their opinion, is too high, and eating it is not profitable. But often maintaining a vegetarian diet (purchasing special vegetarian products) entails a large amount of expense.
3) Religious beliefs (Hinduism, Buddhism).
4) Environmental - vegetarians say that raising animals has a negative impact on the health of environment.
5) Medical reasons– plant foods allow you to protect yourself from a number of diseases. Researchers have proven that among vegetarians it is 5-10 times less common. ischemic disease heart and myocardial infarction.
American scientists have proven that the transition to healthy image life, namely on a low-calorie vegetarian diet, completely regress atherosclerotic plaques in vessels without the use of additional medicines. Vegetarians have hemoglobin levels that are 20% higher than those who do not follow a plant-based diet. Vegetarians who lead a sports lifestyle are able to combat cancer cells: A simple change in diet makes the blood so hostile to cancer.
Plant food contains everything necessary for human body substances: proteins, minerals, amino acids and vitamins.
A person on a vegetarian diet recovers faster. And they turn to doctors, as a rule, with preventive purpose, and not with diseases. Vegetarianism is an easy, enjoyable and healthy way of life to be happy.
Man is an integral system. And yet: to be or not to be meat at the dinner table? The answer will be this: eat high-quality and properly cooked meat in dosed form.
Listen to your body, choose the type of meat that will benefit your health the most, and be healthy!