High on Health: Does Eating Red Meat Cause Cancer?

As MAHA sweeps the nation, people are finding a renewed interest in their health – and, of course, what we put into our bodies can determine our overall well-being. The debate on whether red meat causes cancer has been circling the medical arena for a long time, yet the answers remain cloudy.

A Look at Red Meat – History and Consumption

There’s no time like the summer to fire up the grill and toss on some juicy steaks, plump hot dogs, and thick burgers. It’s the American way, right? You might think red meat is consumed more often during this time of year, but according to research from PubMed, meat consumption is higher in winter months. Some researchers believe this is because humans prefer heavier foods, such as steaks and roasts, during cold weather to gain extra energy and feel fuller.

But despite it being a staple of the American diet, some research suggests eating red meat can increase cancer risk. Still, humans have been consuming it since prehistoric times. Domestication of cattle started around 8000 BC. In  America, Spanish explorers introduced the first Longhorn cattle in the 1500s, and British colonists brought over Devon cattle around 1623. At this time, Native Americans were hunting buffalo and other large game for red meat.

Does Eating Red Meat Cause Cancer?

So, humans the world over – including right here in North America – have been eating red meat for millennia. How dangerous is it, though? A 2023 study published in Nutrients, an international peer-reviewed journal, found that “[t]he dietary habits of Americans need improving.” Recent national surveys discovered that the US diet scores only 59 points on the 100-point Healthy Eating Index scale. Part of the reason for the low scores, the study explained, “comes from excess meat consumption of some population subgroups.”

Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, told the Cleveland Clinic, “Growing research has shown negative health impacts with frequent consumption of red meat, especially processed red meat.” This includes beef, pork, veal, lamb, mutton, and goat; a related category of processed meats includes bacon, hot dogs, smoked meats, and lunch meats such as ham, salami, pepperoni, and bologna.

Let’s delve into the science a little. Red meats are high in saturated fats, which can cause a rise in LDL levels, commonly known as bad cholesterol. “High cholesterol can lead to more plaque buildup and atherosclerosis, a hardening of the plaque in the arteries, which can lead to increased cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke,” Zumpano explained to the Cleveland Clinic.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies red meat as a Group 2A carcinogen, which is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Processed meats are categorized as level 1 carcinogens, meaning they are known to increase the risk of cancer.

“After thoroughly reviewing the accumulated scientific literature, a Working Group of 22 experts from 10 countries convened by the IARC Monographs Programme classified the consumption of red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A), based on limited evidence that the consumption of red meat causes cancer in humans and strong mechanistic evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect.”

What is it about beef that makes it potentially dangerous? “Red meat contains heme iron, and processed meat also contains nitrates, both of which promote the formation of N-nitroso carcinogenic compounds,” said Dr. Michael Selden, MD, a gastroenterologist with Hartford HealthCare.

Does this mean you need to give up your red meat? Not at all. Certain types of meat, the way it’s prepared, and the frequency and amount eaten also play a role in the risks.

“Anytime you eat red meat, it should be the leanest cut you can find, with all the fat removed,” Zumpano suggested. Alternatives include loin, tenderloin, and center cut pork chops, flank, round, sirloin, tenderloin, and ball tip steak, and when it comes to beef, try to get meats that are at least 90% lean.

So far, research has not proven that consuming red meat will give you cancer – it simply suggests it could. An article in The Journal of Food Science advises that marinating beef for at least an hour before cooking may reduce the risk. This is especially true if the sauce contains antioxidants, which can reduce carcinogen formation when cooking meats. Another trick is to slow-cook. Researchers also suggest turning the meat often.

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to throw out that tri-tip or pound of ground beef. Remember, there is only “limited evidence” that red meat is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Beef has a lot of benefits, too. It’s a solid source of protein and iron and contains other important nutrients, such as various B vitamins, selenium, and zinc.

And, according to American Scientist, it is responsible for giving humans the larger brains we have now compared to our ancestors. In 1995, Leslie Aiello, then of University College London, and Peter Wheeler, then of Liverpool John Moores University, wanted to discover how human brains evolved without increasing our metabolic rate. They came up with the expensive tissue hypothesis, which proposed “that the energetic requirements of a large brain may have been offset by a reduction in the size of the liver and gastrointestinal tract; these organs, like the brain, have metabolically expensive tissues.” Their research suggests:

“Because gut size is correlated with diet, and small guts necessitate a diet focused on high-quality food that is easy to digest, Aiello and Wheeler reasoned that the nutritionally dense muscle mass of other animals was the key food that allowed the evolution of our large brains. Without the abundance of calories afforded by meat-eating, they maintain, the human brain simply could not have evolved to its current form.”

Just a little food for thought as you consider your diet and the inclusion of red meat. Perhaps the best take on this research is the old adage, “everything in moderation.”