Is meat bad for your heart?
Animal-based and plant-based protein-rich foods and cardiovascular health: a complex conundrum.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lean red meat and lean white meat had identical effects on LDL cholesterol and apoB levels — no difference.
For decades, public health advice told people to avoid red meat and choose chicken. This study shows that, in terms of cholesterol, they’re equally bad — or equally good — depending on context.
Practical Takeaways
Swap processed meats (bacon, sausage, deli meats) for unprocessed lean meats or plant proteins like beans and lentils.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lean red meat and lean white meat had identical effects on LDL cholesterol and apoB levels — no difference.
For decades, public health advice told people to avoid red meat and choose chicken. This study shows that, in terms of cholesterol, they’re equally bad — or equally good — depending on context.
Practical Takeaways
Swap processed meats (bacon, sausage, deli meats) for unprocessed lean meats or plant proteins like beans and lentils.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Year
2019
Authors
W. Campbell
Related Content
Claims (7)
If you swap out meat and butter for beans, nuts, and olive oil, your heart might be healthier because it helps lower bad cholesterol, reduces swelling in your body, and makes your blood vessels work better.
Even if meat raises your bad cholesterol, it might not be as harmful if it only makes the big, fluffy bad cholesterol particles — not the small, dangerous ones that clog arteries.
Whether meat is bad for your heart depends less on the meat itself and more on what else you’re eating — if your whole diet is healthy, meat might not hurt you.
Calling all red meat the same — like comparing a lean steak to a sausage — makes it hard to give good health advice because they’re very different in how they affect your heart.
If you eat lean red or white meat instead of beans, nuts, or tofu—while eating a lot of saturated fat—your bad cholesterol levels tend to go up, which might be worse for your heart, no matter what kind of meat it is.