Red meat

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For the comic strip, see Red Meat.

Red meat in culinary terminology to meat which is red-colored when raw, while in nutritional terminology, it refers to meat from mammals.

In gastronomy, "red meat" is darker-coloured meat, which is generally richer and stronger-tasting, as contrasted with white meat. The exact definition varies by time, place, and culture, but the meat of adult mammals, such as beef, mutton, and horse is invariably considered "red", while domestic chicken and rabbit are invariably considered "white". The meat of young mammals such as milk-fed veal and lamb, and that of pork is traditionally considered "white"; while the meat of duck and goose is considered "red",^[1] though the demarcation line has been shifting. Game is sometimes put in a separate category altogether (French viandes noires 'black meats').^[2].

In nutrition, "red meat" is synonymous with "mammal meat." The term is often considered misleading, as not all mammal meat appears red, and some non-mammal meat can be red. Red meat does not refer to how well a piece of meat is cooked or its coloration after cooking. A steak or hamburger is a red meat whether it is served rare and bloody, or cooked until it is brown or gray, or even burnt to a crisp; as is pork, which turns pale to white when cooked.

The two definitions agree for beef, mutton, horse, and chicken. However, they disagree for veal, lamb, rabbit, and pork. They also agree that fish and seafood are not red: the gastronomic definition does not classify them as meat at all, while some nutritional definitions classify them as white meat.

The main determinant of the color of meat is the concentration of myoglobin. The white meat of chicken has under 0.05%; chicken thigh has 0.18-0.20%; pork and veal have 0.1-0.3%; young beef has 0.4-1.0%; and old beef has 1.5-2.0%.^[3]

In the health discussion below, we assume the nutritional, not the traditional gastronomic, definitions.

Contents 1 Health effects of eating mammal meat 1.1 Cancer 1.2 Cardiovascular diseases 1.3 Other health issues 1.4 Food pyramid 2 See also 3 References

[edit] Health effects of eating mammal meat

While red meat is a good source of complete protein and iron, its regular consumption presents several health risks.

[edit] Cancer

Recent studies indicate that red meat could pose a notable increase in cancer risk. This has been attributed to the haemoglobin and myoglobin molecules which are found in red meat. These molecules, when ingested, trigger a process called nitrosation in the gut, which leads to the formation of N-nitroso compounds, compounds that combine with DNA, and alter it so that it is more likely to undergo harmful changes or mutations that increase the likelihood of cancer. ^{[4] [5]} Some studies have linked consumption of red meat with breast cancer ^[6], colorectal cancer ^[7], lymph node cancer ^[8], bladder cancer^[9] and prostate cancer^{[9] [10]}. Overall, the relative risk of developing a fatal cancer is of 0.61 in non meat-eaters compared to people who eat red meat regularly^[11].

Eating cooked red meat may increase the likelihood of cancer because carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines are created during the cooking process. Heterocyclic amines may not explain why red meat is more harmful than other meat, however, as these compounds are also found in poultry and fish, which have not been linked to an increased cancer risk^[12].

[edit] Cardiovascular diseases

Red meat has a high content of saturated fat, a factor which is, among others, associated with cardiovascular diseases^[9]. One study has determined that the death rate of non meat-eaters due to heart diseases is of 0.72 compared to meat eaters.^[11].

[edit] Other health issues

Regular comsumption of red meat has also been linked to bone loss^[13], type 2 diabetes^[14], hypertension^[9] and arthritis^[9].

[edit] Food pyramid

The traditional food guide pyramid has been criticized for not distinguishing between red meat and other types of meat.^{[citation needed]} The newer My Pyramid recommends lean forms of red meat.^{[citation needed]} The healthy eating pyramid recommends that red meat be consumed sparingly.^{[citation needed]}

Red meat is one of the richest sources of iron.^{[citation needed]} Red meat also contains protein, minerals such as zinc and phosphorus, and vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B₁₂, thiamin and riboflavin.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• Meat
• White meat
• Cattle
• Diet

[edit] References