Effects Of Eating Meat


A pizza sitting on top of a wooden cutting board

The reports of recent studies on the effects of eating meat suggested that consuming red meat on a regular basis might not have any significant impact on the health of an individual.

These reports were utterly different from the reports of earlier studies that suggested consuming red meat can be bad for an individual’s health. The contradictory suggestions put down by various studies have raised questions about why expert recommendations on eating meat seem to change frequently.

Here, we will be going through the history of research studies carried out on the effects of consuming meat.

Timeline Of Studies On The Effects Of Eating Meat

Results Of Studies On The Effects Of Eating Meat

  • 2000 BCE: The consumption of red meat was associated with the survival of human beings on the planet.
  • 1896: The nation moved away from the intake of fish and beef cereals because of the popularity of corn flakes offered by John Harvey Kellogg.
  • 1906: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair comes into the picture for swaying people towards purchasing the brand new bean burgers sold at Sinclair’s restaurant.
  • 1978: A study report on the Mediterranean Diet is published by Ancel Keys, a psychologist. The study claims the Mediterranean Diet to be the healthiest of all diets. It even points out that the Yugoslavian diet is much better in comparison to what the US residents consume. 
  • 1985: A benchmark report by the research team at Smiths points out the ill-effects of meat.
  • 1990: Meat is considered murderous by the Extreme Exaggeration Magazine.
  • 2015: Study on dietary patterns associates healthy eating to a hungrier and longer life.
  • 2018: Breakthrough artificial meat is introduced by Beyond Meat.
  • 2019: McRib makes a comeback according to reports.
  • 2023: Traditional wisdom will reverse all over again during this time.

Good And Bad Effects Of Eating Meat

There is nothing more controversial in the food category than the good and bad effects of consuming meat. On the one hand, meat is a staple in several diets and is considered the most excellent source of nutrients, while on the other, it is unethical, unnecessary, and unhealthy. While certain observational studies link processed and red meat intake to overall calorie and obesity. Controlled studies show that weight loss is a possibility even if you consume meat on a regular basis.

Benefits Of Consuming Meat

There are several health benefits of consuming meat. They are:

  • Increased metabolism and reduced appetite: High protein diets, including meat, help in increasing metabolic rate; in lowering hunger and in promoting fullness.
  • Stronger Bones: Regular intake of animal proteins can improve bone strength and density.
  • Improved iron absorption: The heme iron content of meat is quite high, and the body absorbs this iron better in comparison to non-heme iron products.
Timeline Of Studies On The Effects Of Eating Meat

Bad Results Of Consuming Meat

Consuming meat without any limitation can be the cause of several health problems, not just for the consumers but even for the environment. Some ill-effects of having meat include:

  • Meat is not as nutrient-rich as plants. You get the right quantities of macronutrients like fat and protein but no share of minerals, fiber, or vitamins.
  • Meat is highly acidic. It is very challenging for a healthy human body to break down the meat. The kidneys need to work very hard at this.

Properly cooked and unprocessed meat can have several nutrients, but if you do not feel right about having animals, you can choose to stay healthy by going for a vegan diet.

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