People who eat a lot of red meat are NOT more likely to have strokes, review finds
Good news for steak lovers! Eating unprocessed red meat DOES NOT increase stroke risk, review finds
- Researchers used star ratings to measure the strength of previous evidence
- Lots of raw red meat and strokes got a star rating
- This means that there could be no connection between the two as the studies were inconsistent
Eating unprocessed red meat doesn’t make you more likely to have a stroke, one review suggests.
For decades, there have been concerns that consuming a lot of steak and pork may increase the risk of heart disease due to their high fat content.
But scientists who analyzed nearly 200 existing studies found “no evidence” linking the two.
And there was also only “weak evidence” that eating unprocessed red meat leads to colon cancer, breast cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Lead study author Dr. Christopher Murray, of Washington University, said he hoped the finding “will clear up confusion and help consumers make informed decisions about diet, exercise and other activities that can affect their long-term health.”
Meat is considered unprocessed if it is fresh and has not been packaged, cooked, canned or altered from its natural state.
Processed meats – such as bacon, sausage and salami – have been modified to improve flavor or shelf life through smoking, salting, brining, drying or canning.
Eating unprocessed red meat does not increase the risk of stroke, contrary to previous findings. Previous studies had conflicting results, University of Washington researchers found
For years, eating red meat has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease due to its high saturated fat content.
The fat is thought to increase levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the body, which is a known risk factor for coronary heart disease.
The researchers examined 180 studies from around the world that looked at certain behaviors and food choices and their effect on disease.
They used a simple star rating system that showed the strength of evidence for each pairing.
One star meant there may be no association, while five meant the behavior increased the likelihood of the condition by more than 85 percent.
Unsurprisingly, the review found very strong evidence between smoking and lung cancer — increasing the risk by 106 percent.
The link between eating a lot of unprocessed red meat and ischemic stroke – the most common form of stroke – only got one star.
A two-star link was found between avoiding vegetables and cardiovascular disease.
People who avoided their greens had between 0 and 15 percent more risk of the condition, according to the review.
Co-lead author Dr Emmanuela Gakidou said: ‘Our analysis not only helps consumers, but can also help policymakers develop health and wellness education programs so that they target the risk factors with the greatest impact on health.
“Health researchers can also use this analysis to identify areas where current evidence is weak and more definitive studies are needed.”
The ratings may change as more data becomes available, especially for low-star ratings links where the research is limited or conflicting, the researchers said.
High star ratings are less likely to change as there is already strong evidence for the link.
The findings are published in the journal Nature Medicine.
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