Understanding Red Meat and Heart Risk
Studies increasingly show that high red meat intake is linked with multiple health risks, including a higher heart disease risk. There are many theories behind this association, including saturated fat, toxins, and heme iron found in beef. A new link has recently immerged related to red meat allergy and risk of heart disease. A study found that individuals who were sensitized to an allergen had a 30% higher quantity of arterial plaque than nonsensitized people, according to research published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. The findings suggest those with the sensitivity might be at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Researchers examined blood samples from 118 adults and found that 26% had antibodies to the alpha-gal allergen. Definitely, more research needs to occur in this area before we can make recommendations based on this. But this finding is intriguing, especially considering other studies have linked food sensitivities to increased inflammation, which may be a root in chronic disease development. Regardless, it may be time to replace more beef burgers, with veggie burgers, such as these Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Veggie-Burgers.
Read more about the study here.
For more research, check out these blogs:
Red Meat Linked to Colon Cancer in Women
Red Meat Increases Mortality Risk
Red Meat Linked to Stroke
Check out some of my favorite veggie-burger recipes here:
Edamame Ancient Grain Burgers
Farro and White Bean Veggie Burgers
Image: Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Veggie-Burgers, Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN