Heme iron in red meat leads to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Although this is already widely known, new research has established and explained the link between diets high in heme iron and the onset of Type 2 diabetes more clearly than ever before.
Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health assessed dietary reports spanning 36 years from 206,615 adults in a study published in Nature Metabolism.
They studied how the participants consumed various forms of iron from food and supplements, while considering lifestyle and health factors. They also looked at plasma metabolic biomarkers and metabolomic profiles to assess the participants' blood sugar, blood lipids, insulin levels, inflammation, iron metabolism, and ability to break down food.
The researchers uncovered a strong association between high intake of heme iron and Type 2 diabetes risk.
"[Heme] iron accounts for significant proportions of the T2D risk linked to unprocessed red meat and specific dietary patterns," the study's authors wrote. "Increased [heme] iron intake correlates with unfavorable plasma profiles of insulinemia, lipids, inflammation, and T2D-linked metabolites."
This study is significant because it builds upon prior research to emphasize the health risks of eating meat and the benefits of plant-based diets.
Plant-based diets that eliminate red meat are linked to increased life expectancies and many benefits related to cardiovascular health, such as lower insulin levels, reduced body weight, and lower LDL cholesterol.
Over 38 million Americans (about 1 in 10 adults) have diabetes, and more young people are developing Type 2 diabetes than ever before. However, you can prevent or at least delay the onset of this disease with healthy diet and lifestyle changes.
Starting today, you can take control of your diabetes risk by exploring plant-based food options that also save you money at the grocery store and curb pollution created by meat production. Making meat-free meal swaps is easy while dining out at restaurants and experimenting at home with protein-rich lentils, beans, mushrooms, and tofu.
"This study underscores the importance of healthy dietary choices in diabetes prevention," said Frank Hu, one of the study's authors and a nutrition and epidemiology professor. "Reducing heme iron intake, particularly from red meat, and adopting a more plant-based diet can be effective strategies in lowering diabetes risk."
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