After many decades of warning us that Red Meats are bad for heart health, the scientific community has come up with hard evidence to prove that heretofore merely observational connection. Which makes it all the more important to moderate your intake of Red Meats…
An enticing array of Beef Cuts: Something which we should all consider
limiting our indulgence in to two or three times a week…
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute say they’ve nailed down the reason – or one reason, at least – that eating Red Meat is bad for your heart health.
High levels of Saturated Fats in Red Meat have long been known to exacerbate heart disease but, now, researchers have identified a dietary processing byproduct known as TMAO as a major contributor to the problem. TMAO is produced in the digestive system, and it’s produced in much greater amounts when you are digesting Red Meats.
What they did…
For the study, researchers enrolled 113 healthy men and women in a clinical trial to examine the effects of dietary protein – in the form of red meat, white meat, or non-meat sources – on TMAO production. All subjects were placed on each diet for a month in random order. When on the red meat diet, the participants consumed roughly the equivalent of about 8 ounces of steak daily, or two quarter-pound beef patties.
While all diets contained equal amounts of calories, half of the participants were also placed on high-fat versions of the three diets, and the researchers observed similar results. Thus, the effects of the protein source on TMAO levels were independent of dietary fat intake.
What they found…
After one month, researchers found that, on average, blood levels of TMAO in these participants tripled, compared to when they were on the diets high in either white meat or non-meat protein sources.
Importantly, the researchers discovered that the TMAO increases were reversible. When the subjects discontinued their red meat diet and moved to either a white meat or non-meat diet for another month, their TMAO levels decreased significantly.
The takeaway…
“These findings reinforce current dietary recommendations that encourage [people of] all ages to follow a heart-healthy eating plan that limits Red Meat,” said Dr. Charlotte Pratt, Project Officer for the study and a nutrition researcher. “This means eating a variety of foods, Including more Vegetables, Fruits, Whole Grains, low-fat Dairy Foods, and Plant-based Protein sources such as Beans and Peas.”
“This study shows for the first time what a dramatic effect changing your diet has on levels of TMAO, which is increasingly linked to heart disease,” said Dr. Stanley Hazen, Senior Author of the study and section head of Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation at the Cleveland Clinic. “It suggests that you can lower your heart disease risk by lowering TMAO.”
TMAO levels can be read via a simple blood test. After this study’s news gets around, don’t be surprised if your doctor sends you for one of those in the future.
My take…
The study report allows that, while the mechanisms by which TMAO promotes heart disease are not well know, yet, the connection is clear. And so are the implications, to me. It’s important to limit one’s intake of Red Meats to occasional meals rather than eating some every day. Another nod to the ubiquitous Mediterranean Diet and a relief to some (including yours truly) who are looking for reasons to shun ever-more expensive Beef in favour of cheaper Poultry and Vegetable Protein sources.
~ Maggie J.