White meat is ‘just as bad’ for you as red meat
If you’re going to eat meat, chicken is better for you than steak right? A new study says this might not be the case.
The research found that eating red or white meat will have an identical effect on cholesterol levels – challenging the old assumption that white meat is always the healthier option.
However, researchers did add that there may be other effects from eating red meat that contribute to cardiovascular disease – which may mean it is still worse for your heart than white meat.
But when it comes to cholesterol, researchers are certain that the best thing would be to choose non-meat proteins such as vegetables, dairy, and beans.
Scientists set out to test the theory that the generally high saturated fat content of red meat contributes to cardiovascular disease risk.
More than 100 healthy men and women – aged 21 – 65 – were assigned to either a high-saturated fat, provided primarily by butter and full-fat foods, or low saturated fat group.
The participants completed three test diets: red meat diet, white meat diet and then a no-meat diet.
What counts as white meat?
White meat is meat that is pale in color before and after cooking.
That generally includes poultry – chicken and turkey – and fish.
White meat also includes rabbit, and the meat of milk-fed young mammals (in particular veal and lamb), and pork.
It’s important to note that chicken and turkey both actually contain a combination of white and dark meat – with the darker meat of the legs having higher levels of saturated fat.
Each diet lasted four weeks and there was a “washout period” in between, where participants ate their usual foods.
Red meat was mostly provided by beef, while chicken was the main white meat protein.
Blood samples were collected from the participants at the start and end of each test diet.
The researchers found that plant proteins had the healthiest impact on participants’ blood cholesterol. The effects of white and red meat on cholesterol levels were identical.
The conclusions ‘do not provide evidence for choosing white over red meat,’ read the study findings.
‘The findings are in keeping with recommendations promoting diets with a high proportion of plant-based food,’ researchers added.