Meat may be a good source of iron, zinc, and vitamins but it not the healthiest meal for you and your family. Choosing to be a vegetarian is the best decision you can make due to the adverse effects meat can have on your health. Let us look at why you should stop eating red meat.
It clogs blood vessels
Meat contains the element carnitine that is harmful to your blood vessels. This compound is also present in some energy drinks. According to a study, carnitine can cause atherosclerosis which makes your arteries hard. This compound can damage your heart and bring cardiovascular conditions.
Red meat also contains a high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol which affects the level of blood cholesterol in the body. When your body processes foods that have a lot of cholesterol, it produces N-oxide which can lead to blood clots. Staying away from red meat can save you from a heart attack or a stroke.
Red meat reduces your lifespan
Taking red meat can make you die earlier than your time. When you are preparing meat, the toxins in it increase. These are not healthy for your stomach since they can cause cancer. Switching to foods such as nuts and vegetables can make you live longer since they do not contain such harmful toxins.
It contains pink slime
This is a form of additive that has bits of meat that is considered leftover. It has a lot of fat that manufacturers heat and treat using ammonia to destroy the bacteria in it. The pink slime falls into the hands of meat packers where it becomes part of ground beef.
If you buy your red meat from the supermarket, it contains pink slime additive. Pink slime has harmful pathogens that never die even when you try to cook it. You end up eating these pathogens that can are harmful to your body.
Red meat contains unhealthy hormones and antibiotics
Women who have reached post-menopause are at high risk of getting breast cancer from consuming red meat. Meat processing involves using flavors or chemical preservatives. During this process, nitrate molecules are included to enhance the flavor of the meat. The fragments can cause the development of N-nitroso compounds which attach themselves to tumor receptors increasing the risk of getting breast cancer.
The hormones in red meat can also affect your estrogen levels bringing an imbalance which affects your energy levels. When you take red meat, your digestion system slows down and may cause poor absorption of food. Some people develop acid reflux and bowel syndrome from taking red meat. These hormones make you less energized as they expose you to diseases.
Poor digestion from red meat can also cause constipation which leads to a lot of skin issues and makes your complexion dull. Red meat makes your kidneys loaded such that they cannot drain out impurities correctly.
The presence of meat glue
Sometimes during meat processing, small cuts are stuck together using meat glue to form a large serving. This meat glue is an enzyme that originates from animal blood. Though it may be invisible, meat glue is not free from bacteria.
The different pieces of meat brought together come from a lot of cows that may be contaminated. This glue is also used in products such as cereal and yogurt; therefore, you should also not consume such.
The high impact of livestock production
Any livestock keeper can confirm that livestock production is not an easy job. It needs a lot of resources such as water, food for the animals as well as land to graze them. All these resources affect the environment due to depletion. As you get grass for your cows and water from natural sources, the environment is affected negatively. Animals also emit gases such as methane which is not healthy for the atmosphere.
Red meat contains E.coli
Raw milk is not the only source of E.coli. Most of the times, ground beef comes from a combination of beef from different cows. For instance, one hamburger can have meat from more than one cow. This increases the chances of E.coli in it. Taking such meat can cause dehydration or even kidney failure.
One can get diabetes
Red meat leads to obesity when consumed for long. You can accumulate a lot of belly fat which can interfere with your blood sugar. Research shows that processed meat increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Eliminating animal products such as hot dogs and bacon from your diet can help you maintain the recommended weight and keep your sugar levels normal.
Your brains and colon are not safe
When you take meat for years, the iron in it can affect your brain. It builds up in the brain and destroys the fatty tissue that is responsible for coating the fibers of the nerves. The communication signals in the brain stop functioning correctly and expose you to memory loss or Alzheimer's disease.
One can also get colorectal cancer from excessive consumption of red meat since the iron can damage body cells and lead to inflammation. It is a gradual process that can build up for years leading to such diseases. Hot dogs and bacon are the worst forms of red meat that leads to colorectal cancer and arthritis.
It is not cost effective
You cannot compare how much you spend on red meat with buying foods such as vegetables. If you buy red meat for your family every day, you are not only putting your life at risk but also wasting a lot of money. You can get healthy nutrients from other foods at a cheaper cost and start saving.
Final thoughts
You can improve your overall health, reduce expenses and help your environment by eliminating red meat from your diet. Choosing a vegetarian lifestyle is also a wise move that will keep you away from hospitals. Check out some of the healthy alternatives to red meat like whole grains, chicken recipes and fish and incorporate them in your diet today.
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