“Meat is often demonized because the data on its negative health effects, in most cases, come from studies in populations that do not eat generally healthy,” says Kristina Petersen, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University. There’s a difference between meat in the form of a big burger and fries and a small portion of lean beef paired with a pile of vegetables.
Pros and cons of red meat
It’s true that red meat can be high in saturated fat, which is bad for you. “We know that higher amounts of saturated fat are associated with heart disease, diabetes and other health problems,” says Qi Sun, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
But eating smaller portions of red meat (beef, pork and lamb) and choosing lean meats can help keep your saturated fat intake in the low range. “One serving should be 2.5 to 3 ounces,” which contains less than four grams of saturated fat, says Joanne Slavin, professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. “The problem is that most of the time people eat the equivalent of two to three servings of a steak or hamburger.”
And red meat has some nutritional advantages. “It’s important for older adults to consume nutrient-dense foods as they consume fewer calories overall,” says Slavin. Additionally, meat contains many nutrients that older adults may not get enough of.
Protein is an example. It is necessary to maintain muscle mass as we age. Older adults need 0.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 150-pound person, this is 90 grams. Three ounces of sirloin steak contains approximately 17 grams of protein. The same amount of tofu has about nine grams, and half a cup of black beans has about seven grams.
Meat also offers other important nutrients for older adults. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides 56 percent of the daily value of vitamin B12, which is naturally found only in animal products. It also provides 36 percent of the daily value of zinc and 7 percent of the daily value of iron. “It can be difficult to obtain such high quality and quantity of these nutrients from other foods in similar amounts,” says Slavin.
There is no consensus on this question. Some experts argue that even a daily dose of meat (21 ounces per week) is fine for most people if you keep portions to 3 ounces or less. Others recommend equally small portions but only a few times a week. For example, to help prevent some cancers, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends no more than 12 to 18 ounces of red meat per week. Since red meat production uses water and land resources and creates greenhouse gases, limiting your consumption to this amount can also help the environment.
One thing everyone agrees on: While the amount of meat is important, everything on your plate is even more important. “Eating some meat along with plenty of fruits and vegetables is unlikely to have adverse health effects,” says Petersen. For example, consuming 13 ounces of red meat per week did not increase or decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease when the diet also included plenty of plant foods, according to a 2023 study in the European Heart Journal.
Health-conscious steps for meat lovers
Avoid processed meats. Deli meats, hot dogs, bacon and sausages can have very high sodium content and contain many preservatives and other additives. “In general, the more you alter fresh foods through processing, the less healthy they can become, and meat is no exception,” Sun says. Harvard researchers found that increasing your intake of processed red meat by just half a serving per day (half an ounce of deli meat, half a hot dog, or a slice of bacon) increased the risk of death over the next eight years by 13 percent. .
Do as you please, but be conscious of portion size. Prefer a meal that includes a nice-sized piece of steak? If so, you can eat an eight- or 10-ounce steak one day and eat very little red meat the rest of the week. If you prefer to eat more often, eat smaller portions. “3 ounces isn’t a lot, but it goes so much further when you mix it with veggies for stir-fry, beans for chili, or in a sauce over pasta,” says Slavin.
Choose lean cuts. These include sirloin, veal round, veal and pork tenderloin, and leg of lamb and loin. Ground beef, which is 95 percent lean, contains less than two grams of saturated fat in 3 ounces.
Replace red meat with poultry and fish. Most research shows that poultry neither increases nor reduces the risk of heart disease. Fish contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Consider your diet as a whole. The more space meat takes up on your plate, the less room there is for vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and legumes. “With some studies showing that eating a lot of meat is associated with negative health effects, it’s hard to know whether this is attributed to the amount of meat or greater displacement,” says Petersen. “So is the problem that you have increased unhealthy foods or decreased healthy foods?” So make sure you include plenty of plant foods alongside meat and have a few meatless meals each week.
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