7 Great Reasons to Eat Less Meat

Lisa Franchi November 15, 2016

Going vegetarian can be a great idea if you’re after losing weight and improving your health. But you need not give up your love for meat completely. Simply reducing your meat consumption can already do great wonders to your health. Here are some of them:

Your heart will benefit the most.

Eating less red meat can be beneficial to your heart. In one US study, people with atherosclerosis who were asked to stick to a vegie-rich diet and exercise had 91 per cent reduction in angina episodes. The saturated fats in meat increases bad cholesterol in your body, as well as your blood pressure.

You are less likely to have kidney stones.

A study by the American Academy of Family Physicians has found a link between high animal protein consumption and prevalence of kidney stones. This is because animal protein raises uric acid levels, which is a risk factor for kidney stone.

You’ll have a healthier skin.

Processed meat like ham, sausage, and bacon are high in salt and sugar which leads to poor skin health. Too much salt in the body causes water retention followed by dehydration, resulting to a puffy and bloated look, and oily skin that is susceptible to pimples and acne.

Your sleep will greatly improve.

Meat is high in protein and fat, and low in fibre. This makes it difficult for your gut to digest meat. So eating meat for dinner can negatively impact your quality of sleep as your digestive system needs to work double time. To have a deep and restful slumber, consider omitting meat in your usual dinner meal. Go for something light instead, like vegetable salad or fruit.

You lower your cancer risk.

Meat consumption has long been linked to cancer. When meat is cooked in high heat, cancer-causing compounds are produced. A US study involving 90,000 women has found that women who eat meat every day were almost twice as likely to develop some types of breast cancer. Meanwhile, 2015 research by the World Health Organisation found that just people who consume 50 g of processed meat or about two slices of bacon, increased their risk of bowel cancer by 18 per cent.

You also lower your risk of diabetes.

Processed meat is very high in sugar, which is a major factor for type 2 diabetes. Not only that. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) analysed data from three longitudinal studies of male and female healthcare professionals which lasted for 14 to 28 years. After adjusting other risk factors, they found that a daily serving of red meat no larger than a deck of cards increased the risk of adult-onset diabetes by 19 per cent. According to the researchers, the three main component of red meat - sodium, nitrites, and iron - all play a role.

You will live longer.

To top it all, reducing your consumption of meat can add more years to your life as you get to feed your body with more nutritious foods. If you’re looking to increase protein in your diet, you can always get in from plant sources. Seeds, nuts and grains are excellent sources of protein as well.

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