Meat: does it harm your health
or is it in reality a superfood?
Let's take a look at the evidence.
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or is it in reality a superfood?
Let's take a look at the evidence.
Thread ๐
Everyone "knows" that meat is not healthy, but until a few decades ago, no one ever thought that.
Something changed.
Something changed.
What changed was the demonization of saturated fat as a cause of coronary heart disease by the (now notorious) Ancel Keys.
He used observational and cherry-picked data to "prove" his hypothesis.
He used observational and cherry-picked data to "prove" his hypothesis.
In any case, numerous studies over the past decade have shown that saturated fat is not associated with coronary heart disease. academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/9โฆ
The "evidence" that meat is harmful comes almost entirely from observational studies, which can show association, but not causation.
They are also fundamentally flawed by the use of food frequency questionnaires, which are "pseudoscientific" sciencedirect.com/science/articlโฆ
They are also fundamentally flawed by the use of food frequency questionnaires, which are "pseudoscientific" sciencedirect.com/science/articlโฆ
Right away, we have national policy being set by pseudoscience, but even if questionnaires were valid, they can't show causation.
Furthermore, these studies are bedeviled by "healthy user bias". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/Pโฆ
Furthermore, these studies are bedeviled by "healthy user bias". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/Pโฆ
Healthy user bias is the propensity of someone who engages in one healthy behavior to do others, e.g. people who exercise are also likely not to smoke.
People have been told not to eat meat, and healthy users believed and obeyed. Others did not.
People have been told not to eat meat, and healthy users believed and obeyed. Others did not.
Furthermore, the evidence, such as it is, is exceedingly weak.
So weak, that a group of doctors and scientists, writing in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2019, caused an uproar when they said there's no reason to curtail consumption of red and processed meat.
So weak, that a group of doctors and scientists, writing in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2019, caused an uproar when they said there's no reason to curtail consumption of red and processed meat.
Many prominent members of the health establishment called for the censorship of this scientific article.
acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M1โฆ
acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M1โฆ
What about cancer?
Again, the evidence is extremely weak. Many studies have found no link with cancer, and others have found only weakly raised risks.
But weak relative risks are blown into major headlines by mainstream media.
Again, the evidence is extremely weak. Many studies have found no link with cancer, and others have found only weakly raised risks.
But weak relative risks are blown into major headlines by mainstream media.
"the currently available epidemiologic evidence is NOT SUFFICIENT to support an... association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer." (my emphasis)
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20663065/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20663065/
What about vegetarians - aren't they healthier?
Healthy user bias again.
Recent studies show vegetarians do not live longer than meat eaters
academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/1โฆ
Healthy user bias again.
Recent studies show vegetarians do not live longer than meat eaters
academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/1โฆ
Blue Zones are often cited, but
1. Blue Zones are not vegetarian, or even necessarily eat less meat.
2. Blue Zones may be fictitious entities.
1. Blue Zones are not vegetarian, or even necessarily eat less meat.
2. Blue Zones may be fictitious entities.
Beef is a rich source of high-quality protein and vitamins and minerals, and is an excellent component of a healthy diet.
healthline.com/nutrition/foodโฆ
healthline.com/nutrition/foodโฆ
If meat had not been demonized, we arguably might not have an obesity epidemic, as meat is the perfect weight loss food
In summary, the best evidence shows that meat is healthy.
The demonization of meat over the past few decades - and currently - is all a big mistake.
The demonization of meat over the past few decades - and currently - is all a big mistake.
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