White Meat Is Just As Bad As Red Meat When It Comes To Cholesterol: Study
The small study found that both red and white meats raised cholesterol equally.
Red meat has been given a bad rep for heart health in people whose diets have a high proportion of it, but a new study finds that white meat may be just as bad when it comes to cholesterol.
Despite the common belief that white meats are less detrimental to our health, both red meat and white meat contain saturated fats, which increase levels of LDL cholesterol and increase a persons risk of heart attacks, stroke and peripheral artery disease.
The study from the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute found that people who ate white meat diets consisting of chicken and turkey ended up with cholesterol levels that were no different from those who ate red meat diets consisting of lean beef or pork. Both diets caused significant jumps in cholesterol compared to people whose diets consisted of plant-based proteins.
“When we planned this study, we expected red meat to have a more adverse effect on blood cholesterol levels than white meat, but we were surprised that this was not the case their effects on cholesterol are identical when saturated fat levels are equivalent,” said study senior author Dr. Ronald Krauss, senior scientist and director of atherosclerosis research at CHORI, in the studys press release.
The study did not include fish, grass-fed beef or processed meats. The plant-based diets emphasized the consumption of legumes, nuts, grains and soy products.
Does Eating Chicken Impact Cholesterol Levels Or Risk Of Heart Disease
The current scientific evidence does not support the commonly held, but misinformed belief that cholesterol from the diet increases the risk of heart disease in healthy individuals. Many studies have found that including lean chicken as part of your eating pattern can lead to a reduction in bad LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, as well as less risk of heart disease.
Featurehealth Matters: The Truth About Red Meat
Researchers said that the findings may not affect most people who arenât at high risk for heart disease. When participantsâ diets were low in saturated fat, the rise in LDL was minimal regardless of whether they ate chicken or lean red meat. But for the person actively trying to bring down high levels of LDL cholesterol, researchers said, it may be worth cutting back on both red and white meats, and relying more on plant proteins.
Red meat is a source of high-quality protein, zinc, iron and vitamin B12, but most nutritionists agree that it is best to choose a lean cut in a modest portion for optimal health benefits. The positives of having red or white meat can be canceled out if too much saturated fat, from any source, is included in ones diet.
Previous evidence shows that fatty red meat is a prime source of artery-clogging saturated fat, a factor associated with heart disease. And two studies published last year showed that people who eat red meat but not vegetarians or people who eat only white meat such as chicken have higher levels in the blood of a chemical called TMAO, which has been linked to higher heart disease risk.
The researchers cautioned against demonizing any food based on one study. âPeople often get the impression that if something raises cholesterol, it should be eliminated,â Krauss said. âI donât want people to get too focused on an all or nothing approach.â
Read Also: Does Shrimp Have High Cholesterol
Recommended Reading: Mussels And Cholesterol
What The Study Means For Your Diet
Sounds pretty ominous, but what does that really mean for healthy, active adults who turn to a piece of chicken in their salad or on their dinner plate for their protein fix?
Like with other nutrition studiessimilar to the recent research on eggs, for exampleyou have to look at it in context to get the real picture. Otherwise, youd be scrapping food from your diet left and right whenever the next new study comes along.
With this study, its important to keep in mind that researchers measured blood cholesterol levels, not actual incidents of heart issues or development of heart disease. These cholesterol levels are seen as markers of potential risk, not an indication of cause-and-effect, according to Stuart Phillips, Ph.D, director of the McMaster University Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research.
Although its worth paying attention to cholesterol, he noted, its relationship to heart disease and death isnt a one-to-one relationship. There are many other contributing factors in addition to cholesterol numbers, said Phillips, such as family history of heart disease.
So taking into account actual health associations versus associations with health matters, but thats not the only reason you should take this newest study with a grain of salt.
Instead, what people should consider is a strategy thats emphasized again and again: Eat more plants, too.
Whats The Worst Meat To Eat
Avoid: Fattier cuts of meat Think rib-eye steak, T-bone steak, and New York strip steak, for starters. In the pork family, ribs and bacon with poultry, drumsticks, and the skin tend to be the fattiest. Although limiting these cuts of meat is good for your diet, you can enjoy them in moderation, according to Sollid.
Read Also: Does Eating Shrimp Raise Cholesterol
Cholesterol Content Of Foods
If you have risk factors for heart disease, you should not consume more than 200 milligrams of cholesterol a day.
If you do not have risk factors for heart disease, you should limit your cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams a day.
Use the following tables to check the cholesterol and fat content of the foods you eat. This will help you keep track of your daily cholesterol intake.
Note: Cholesterol is only found in animal products. Fruits, vegetables, grains and all other plant foods do not have any cholesterol at all.
Dairy Products
Cheddar Cheese1 oz30
UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.
Liver And Liver Products
Liver and liver products, such as liver pâté and liver sausage, are a good source of iron, as well as being a rich source of vitamin A.
You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need from your daily diet. Adults need:
- 700 micrograms of vitamin A per day for men
- 600 micrograms of vitamin A per day for women
However, because they are such a rich source of vitamin A, we should be careful not to eat too much liver and liver product foods.
Having too much vitamin A more than 1.5mg of vitamin A per day from food and supplements over many years may make your bones more likely to fracture when you are older.
People who eat liver or liver pâté once a week may be having more than an average of 1.5mg of vitamin A per day. If you eat liver or liver products every week, you may want to consider cutting back or not eating them as often. Also, avoid taking any supplements that contain vitamin A and fish liver oils, which are also high in vitamin A.
Women who have been through the menopause, and older men, should avoid having more than 1.5mg of vitamin A per week from food and supplements. This is because older people are at a higher risk of bone fracture. This means not eating liver and liver products more than once a week, or having smaller portions. It also means not taking any supplements containing vitamin A, including fish liver oil, if they do eat liver once a week.
Pregnant women should avoid liver and liver products and vitamin A supplements.
Recommended Reading: Cholesterol Level In Shrimp
Does Eating Chicken Increase Cholesterol
While the meat associated with raising levels of cholesterol is red meat obtained from animals like goat or sheep, even chicken has come under scrutiny for having a similar cholesterol raising effect on the body. The truth is, chicken by nature has lower cholesterol than any other cut, and lower fat than most cuts.
Eating Meat When You’re Pregnant
Meat can generally be part of a pregnant woman’s diet. However, pregnant women should avoid:
- raw and undercooked meat because of the risk of toxoplasmosis make sure any meat you eat is well cooked before eating
- pâté of all types, including vegetable pâté they can contain listeria, a type of bacteria that could harm your unborn baby
- liver and liver products these foods are very high in vitamin A, and too much vitamin A can harm the unborn child
- game meats such as goose, partridge or pheasant these may contain lead shot
Page last reviewed: 13 July 2021 Next review due: 13 July 2024
Recommended Reading: Whats In Egg Beaters
What Are The Effects Of Pork On Your Cholesterol Levels
A 2015 report found that consuming 50 grams or about 2 ounces, of processed meat everyday will increase your risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.
Processed meat is any meat that has been modified to extend its shelf life. These include meat that has been cured, salted or smoked. Sliced ham from the deli counter, bacon and sausage are examples of processed pork.
A study which was published by the American Heart Association found that men who eat moderate amounts of processed red meat, such as ham and bacon, may increase their risk of heart failure or death from heart failure. Researchers recommend to avoid processed meat and eat only 1-2 servings or less of unprocessed red meat per week.
While a 2013 study which was published in BMC Medicine studied data from half a million women and men and found an association between processed meat, and cardiovascular disease and cancer. In addition, researchers found that the more processed meat you consume, the more likely you are to die young.
Recommended Reading: Are Potatoes Bad For Your Cholesterol
What It Means To Be Vegan
Being vegan reaches beyond diet and also describes the lifestyle that one chooses to lead on a daily basis.
Veganism is generally defined as living in a way that avoids consuming, using, or exploiting animals as much as realistically possible. While this leaves room for individual preferences and barriers, the overall intent is that minimal harm is done to animals through life choices.
In addition to excluding animal products from their diets, people who label themselves as vegan typically avoid purchasing items that were made from or tested on animals.
This often includes clothing, personal care products, shoes, accessories, and household goods. For some vegans, this may also mean avoiding medications or immunizations that use animal byproducts or have been tested on animals.
SUMMARY
Plant-based refers to a diet that solely or primarily consists of plant foods. A whole foods, plant-based diet also excludes oils and processed packaged foods. Vegan indicates that animals are excluded from the diet, products, and lifestyle decisions.
Also Check: Why Does Shrimp Have High Cholesterol
Thank You For Reading Nationafrica
Kampala
If you are the kind who consumes a lot of red meat, health experts are warning you that you could develop high blood pressure. According to the Journal Nature Medicine Study, 70 grammes of red or processed meat a day the equivalent of two slices of bacon is recommended.
Red meat comprises beef and mutton. Speaking at the media centre in Kampala yesterday, the Minister for Health, Dr Christine Ondoa, said statistics indicate that communities with high levels of red meat consumption also had a high prevalence for high blood pressure. Wakiso District, which is more of an urban setting has a 32 per cent prevalence of high blood pressure Kasese which is a rural setting has 23 per cent prevalence, she said.
Also Check: Why High Blood Pressure Happens
How Do You Remove Cholesterol From Beef
Cooking methods Trim as much visible fat as possible before cooking. Grill, broil, roast, and bake instead of frying. Use a rack to catch fat drippings and juices while cooking. Cook meat-based dishes, such as stew, a day in advance. Once refrigerated, the fat solidifies and rises to the top, which you can remove.
You May Like: How Does Beer Affect Cholesterol
White Meat Also Raises Cholesterol Levels
The researchers recruited more than 100 healthy adults who were split into two groups. The first group ate a diet high in saturated fats, while the second followed a diet low in saturated fats.
The participants then followed three different diets a red meat diet, a white meat diet, and a non-meat protein diet for four weeks each.
Beef made up the bulk of the red meat diet and chicken composed the white meat diet.
The researchers collected blood samples from the participants at the start and end of each diet to measure total cholesterol along with low-density lipoprotein, or LDL the bad cholesterol that can cause plaque to build up in your arteries and increase your risk for heart disease.
The research team expected to find that red meat was more harmful than white meat. To their surprise, however, they discovered that red and white meat had the same impact on cholesterol levels, including LDL, when they had the same saturated fat levels.
Participants LDL levels were lower after theyd consumed plant-based proteins.
The study also found that red and white meats with higher levels of saturated fats increased the amount of large LDL particles.
This is puzzling because its the smaller particles, not the large ones, that are more associated with cholesterol plaque build up, according to Yalvac.
While studies like this one help us better understand the relationship between meat consumption and heart disease, its clear there is still much more to the story, he added.
Eating Lean Beef Daily Can Help Lower Blood Pressure Study Suggests
- Date:
- Penn State
- Summary:
- Contrary to conventional wisdom, new research suggests that eating lean beef can reduce risk factors for heart disease. The DASH eating plan Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is currently recommended by the American Heart Association to lower blood pressure and reduce risk of heart disease. People following the DASH diet are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and protein predominantly from plant sources. Lean beef can be enjoyed as the predominant protein source in a DASH-like diet, along with fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy, to effectively help lower blood pressure in healthy individuals, new research suggests.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, a growing body of evidence shows that eating lean beef can reduce risk factors for heart disease, according to recent research by nutritional scientists.
This research adds to the significant evidence, including work previously done in our lab, that supports lean beefs role in a heart-healthy diet, said Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Penn State. This study shows that nutrient-rich lean beef can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet that reduces blood pressure, which can help lower the risk for cardiovascular disease.
The Beef Checkoff Program and the National Institutes of Health-supported Penn State General Clinical Research Center funded this research.
Story Source:
Cite This Page:
Don’t Miss: How Much Cholesterol In A Baked Potato
What You Should Worry About
Should you actually worry about cholesterol in food? The greater danger for everyone is in foods that are high in trans fats.
Those often appear on food labels as hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, he says. Those types of fats do tend to raise cholesterol and do tend to increase the risk of heart disease.
All in all, look for trans fat and saturated fat on labels at the grocery store. The American Heart Association recommends limiting dietary saturated fat intake and focusing more on eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean animal protein or plant protein sources.
Recommended Reading: Why Does Shrimp Have High Cholesterol
Do You Have High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is a natural and essential part of all cells in your body. It helps produce hormones, make vitamin D, provide cells with structure, and plays a role in the process of digesting fats. The liver creates all of the cholesterol that your body needs, so it is not required that you get it from foods. Foods that come from animals such as meat, cheese, and eggs all provide dietary cholesterol to the body.
There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins . HDL is thought of as the good type of cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from your blood to your liver to be removed. This is helpful to the heart. LDL is the bad type of cholesterol: It causes a buildup of cholesterol in the blood, which leads to furring up of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis and is a direct cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease.
Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood. They are separate to and different from cholesterol, but they are nearly always included in the cholesterol lab panel since they have a similar effect on your heart and overall health. Triglycerides come from eating too many calories . These extra calories are stored in the blood as triglycerides. High triglyceride levels can lead to heart disease and problems in your pancreas and liver, including fatty liver disease.
Here are the normal ranges for cholesterol and triglyceride levels in adults :
Don’t Miss: Mussels High In Cholesterol