Roast beef

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 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",^[1] though the demarcation line has been shifting. Game is sometimes put in a separate category altogether (French viandes noires 'black meats').^[2].

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.^[3]

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%.^[4]

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).^[5]

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,^[6] colorectal cancer,^[7][8] stomach cancer,^[9] lymphoma,^[10] bladder cancer^[11] and prostate cancer.^[11][12] Furthermore, there is convincing evidence that consumption of beef, pork, lamb, and goat from domesticated animals is a cause of colorectum cancer.^[13] 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.^[14][15]

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.^[16]

Cardiovascular diseases

Red meat has a high content of saturated fat, which is associated with cardiovascular diseases.^[11]

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. ^{[17] [18]}

Other health issues

Regular consumption of red meat has also been linked to bone loss,^[19] type 2 diabetes,^[20] hypertension^[11] and arthritis.^[11]

Food pyramid

The traditional food guide pyramid has been criticized for not distinguishing between red meat and other types of meat.^[21] The newer My Pyramid recommends lean forms of red meat.^[22] The healthy eating pyramid recommends that red meat be consumed sparingly.^[23]

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.^[24] Red meat is the richest source of Alpha Lipoic Acid, a powerful antioxidant.^[25]

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.^[26]

References

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