Researchers have recently revealed that reducing your intake of unprocessed red meat and processed meat could greatly reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases.
The study, as reported by Healio, used a microsimulation model developed by the researchers. This model was used to assess what impact reducing meat consumption could have on your health over a 10-year period.
The results, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, showed that reducing your unprocessed red meat consumption by just 30% could greatly reduce your risk of suffering from chronic diseases such as colorectal cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. A 30% reduction in unprocessed red meat consumption could result in around 46,000 fewer deaths within the 10-year time frame.
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When looking at both processed meat and unprocessed red meat consumption, researchers also found that a 30% reduction could lead to more than 1 million fewer occurrences of Type 2 diabetes; around 384,000 fewer cases of cardiovascular disease; approximately 85,000 fewer cases of colorectal cancer; and more than 62,000 fewer all-cause deaths, per Healio.
While numerous studies indicate switching to a lower-meat diet can have a number of health benefits, this is not yet reflected in dietary recommendations for Americans.
University of Edinburgh research fellow Joe Kennedy suggested this may be because "evidence remains scarce [regarding risks associated with eating unprocessed red meat], preventing specific and conclusive recommendations." The scientists are hoping this new research will help change that for 2025.
"Such a change could have widespread implications, especially for children and young people in the U.S.," they wrote, as reported by Healio.
Reducing meat consumption can also benefit the environment. Animal farming contributes tons of heat-trapping gasses to the atmosphere, and animal farming typically uses a lot more water than plant farming. Reducing your meat intake can therefore also help reduce pollution and save water.
Research also suggests that eating high amounts of processed foods, including meat, may contribute to a build-up of harmful forever chemicals, known as PFAS, in your body. PFAS have been linked to asthma, cancer, and reproductive and immune system issues.
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