Red meat is not only unhealthy but can be positively lethal, according to new research.

Replacing red meat with fish, poultry, or plant-based protein foods contributed to a longer life

Regularly eating red meat – especially the processed variety – dramatically increases the risk of death from heart disease and cancer, a major study has shown.

Each additional daily serving of processed red meat, equivalent to one hot dog or two rashers of bacon, raised the chances of dying by a fifth. Conversely, replacing red meat with fish, poultry or plant-based protein foods contributed to a longer life. Nuts were said to reduce the risk of dying by 20 per cent – making a case for swapping roast beef for nut roast.

Data from 121,342 men and women taking part in two large US health and lifestyle investigations were analysed to produce the findings, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The studies monitored the progress of their participants for more than 20 years and gathered information about diet.

In total, scientists documented 23,926 deaths including 5,910 from heart disease and 9,364 from cancer. A striking association was seen between consumption of red meat and premature death.

Each daily serving of un-processed red meat, equivalent to a helping of beef, lamb or pork about the size of a deck of cards, raised the risk of death 13 per cent, while processed meat increased it by 20 per cent.

When deaths were broken down into specific causes, eating any kind of red meat increased the chances of dying from heart disease by 16 per cent and of cancer by 10 per cent. Processed red meat raised the risk of heart disease and cancer deaths by 21 per and 16 per cent respectively.

The study found that cutting red meat out of the diet led to significant benefits. Replacing one serving of red meat with an equivalent serving of fish reduced mortality risk by seven per cent.

For poultry an even bigger risk reduction of 14 per cent was seen. Legumes and low-fat dairy products lowered the risk by 10 per cent, whole grains by 14 per cent and nuts by 19 per cent.

Halving red meat consumption could have prevented 9.3 per cent of deaths of men and 7.6 per cent of women taking part in the study, said the scientists.

The researchers came to their conclusions after taking account of known chronic disease risk factors such as age, body weight, physical activity and family history.

Cancer prevention charity the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommends that people avoid processed meat entirely and limit their consumption of red meat to 500g a week.

The findings were challenged by Carrie Ruxton from the Meat Advisory Panel (MAP), an expert body funded by the meat industry.

She said: “This US study looked at associations between high intakes of red meat and risk of mortality, finding a positive association between the two. However, the study was observational, not controlled, and so cannot be used to determine cause and effect.

“The authors’ conclusion that swapping a portion of red meat for poultry or fish each week may lower mortality risk was based only on a theoretical model. This conflicts with evidence from controlled trials.”

Dr Ruxton pointed out that meat and meat products were significant sources of essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, B vitamins and vitamin D.

Dr Ruxton added: “In summary, this paper should not be used to dissuade people from reducing their current intake of red meat when it provides essential nutrients that are required as part of a healthy balanced diet.”

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