Is Red Meat Your Best Choice For Protein

Image credit: livingtherun.com

Red meat is one of the most controversial foods in the history of nutrition. Red meat is a good source of protein which helps to build the muscles and bones; it is also high in Iron, an important nutrient young women need in their child bearing years. Red meat has a high amount of saturated fat, and this has the increased tendency to raise blood cholesterol. It also contains Vitamin B12 which nourishes the nerves and DNA as well as the red blood cells. Zinc is another nutrient derived from red meat which helps to keep the immune system strong and effective to prevent diseases. Red meat comes with a calorie count of 176, with 20 grams of quality animal protein and 10 grams of fat. It is also rich in important nutrients like Creatine and Carnosine. Non-meat eaters are often deficient in these nutrients, which can have negative effects on various aspects of health, including muscle and brain function.

Humans have been eating meat throughout evolution and our digestive systems are well equipped to handle it. Today’s red meat isn’t what meat use to be, traditional populations like the Inuit and Masai have eaten lots of meat, much more than the average Westerner, but remained in excellent health. Picture a wild cow on a field 10.000 years ago, roaming free and chewing on grass and various other edible plants. However, the meat we eat today is vastly different from the meat our ancestors ate back in the day, animals roamed free and ate grass, insects or whatever was natural to them. Grass-fed beef is even more nutritious than grain-fed, containing plenty of heart healthy Omega-3s, the fatty acid, along with more Vitamins A and E.

 

Image credit: peerfit.com

Bottom Line: Red meat is very nutritious, especially if it comes from animals that have been naturally fed and raised. It’s a great source of protein, iron, B12, Zinc, Creatine and various other nutrients. In as much as we need to eat red meat and it has its good side, many people believe that it can cause harm. There are some observational studies out there saying that red meat is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, increased risk of cancer and death. Most of us already know the source of red meat; I am however, going to include it below with other healthier choice of meat for your consideration, it now depends on YOU to choose. 

Common sources of red meat	Other healthier choice of meat
Cow	Sea foods: fishes, crabs, prawns, crustaceans, Periwinkle, eel, etc.
Goat	Birds: Native chicken, turkey, pigeon, etc.
Pork	Snails.
Dog
All kinds of bush meat and all meat from animals except birds

Could one of the problems to healthy living be the way the animals are fed?