While the health consequences of red meat have been extensively examined, the majority of the study is observational, which means that it can detect relationships but not demonstrate cause and effect.
Confounding variables are frequently used in observational studies, which are factors other than the one being examined that may impact the outcome.
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It is impossible to account for all of these variables, making it difficult to determine if red meat affects certain health effects.
This limitation should be considered when studying literature and determining whether to incorporate red meat in your normal diet.
Red meat and Cancer
According to observational studies, eating both processed and unprocessed red meat increases the risk of some malignancies, including colon and breast cancer.
In 2015, the World Health Organisation (WHO) classed red meat as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” and processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans,” citing substantial evidence tying processed meat to colorectal cancer.
A study of many research found that people who ate a lot of processed and unprocessed beef had a 9% and 6% higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who ate the least amount.
While the specific mechanisms are unknown, it is thought that nitrites used to cure and smoke meats can produce carcinogenic chemicals.
Furthermore, cooking meat at high temperatures, such as grilling, may produce cancer-causing compounds.
However, further research is needed to fully understand how processed and unprocessed red meats contribute to cancer formation.
