In France, meat often remains at the center of meals, sometimes for lunch and dinner. However, eating it every day is not necessarily necessary to meet your nutritional needs. Depending on the type of meat and the quantities consumed, the health effects can also be very different. So, should we really take our foot off the gas?
Eating meat every day: what are the nutritional benefits?
Meat of course has nutritional benefits. It provides complete proteins, heme iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Nutrients essential for the proper functioning of muscles, the maintenance of bones and the functioning of the immune system.
For certain people, particularly those who consume few foods rich in iron or who have special needs, it can therefore have its place in a balanced diet. Nutritionist Raphaël Gruman also considers that meat can be interesting in this context.
But that doesn’t mean you have to eat it every day. Eggs, fish, dairy products and legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas, also cover a significant part of the protein and iron needs. Varying sources therefore allows you to maintain good nutritional intake while limiting the risks associated with high consumption of red meat.
Red meat, poultry, cold meats: not all foods are equal
The risk also depends a lot on the type of meat consumed. Red meat and cold meats are particularly affected when their consumption becomes regular and significant.
A high intake of saturated fats can in particular increase the level of LDL cholesterol, often called “bad cholesterol”. Ultimately, this can promote atherosclerosis and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Digestion can also be more difficult when meals are very high in meat. “Meat takes time to be digested and weighs on digestion”, cconfirms nutritionist Raphaël Gruman.
The kidneys can also be affected. A study published in 2017 notably observed an approximately 40% higher risk of end-stage renal disease among people who consumed the most red meat. These results show an association, but do not alone allow us to assert that daily meat consumption is directly responsible for this disease.
Red meat and cold meats: also be careful of the risk of cancer
It is especially on the side of processed meats, such as cold meats, that the scientific data is worrying.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies processed meats as a proven human carcinogen. Red meat is classified as probably carcinogenic.
According to the WHO, consuming 50g of processed meat per day is associated with an approximately 18% increase in the risk of colorectal cancer. For red meat, a consumption of 100 g per day would be associated with an increase of around 17% in this risk. These numbers describe an association observed in studies and do not mean that every person consuming these amounts will develop cancer.
Do you eat meat every day? How to reduce without changing everything
If meat is present at every meal, there is no need to change everything overnight. The easiest way is to start by gradually reducing the quantities and varying the protein sources more.
The recommendations relayed by official organizations fall within a benchmark of approximately 2 to 3 portions of red meat per week. Processed meat should be reserved for occasional events.
Experts also point out that a significant reduction in meat must be accompanied by a sufficiently diversified diet in order to continue to cover protein and iron needs.
In practice, replacing certain meat-based meals with fish, eggs or legumes is a simple way to vary your diet. The objective is therefore not necessarily to eliminate meat, but rather to prevent it from systematically becoming the central part of each meal.