Suzanne Hollander, MS, RD.

Suzanne Hollander, MS, RD

As a dietitian, home cook, and enthusiast of all-things-delicious, I'm often asked, "so what do YOU eat?" Here's a blog to answer that very question! My hope is that you'll find (even just a little) inspiration from some of my favorite recipes, restaurants, party-ideas and food musings for your own happy, healthy, food-loving lifestyle.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Red Meat Causes Death...Fact or Fiction

A recent Archives of Internal Medicine Study found that the more red meat you eat, no matter what the source, the higher your risk of death.

Unsurprisingly, processed meats (i.e. hot dogs) had stronger associations with mortality vs. unprocessed (i.e. steak), suggesting the particularly harmful effects of the preservatives used, including nitrites, sodium, and phosphate additives. The study looked at red meat consumption in relationship to calorie intake, but failed to adjust for individual fat consumption or fat content of meat cuts. So we still don't know if a leaner red meat cut is as harmful as a fattier cut. They were able to show that substituting red meat with fish, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy, whole grains (basically, any healthy food) showed lower risk of mortality--not shocking news given all we know about the benefits of a rounded, plant-based diet.

Summary: It's still ok to eat red meat! Moderation is key. Aim for 1-2 servings per week at most. And, as always, eat your vegetables.

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