Is beef good for health? (kidney, cold, doctor, diet)
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A few years ago, my previous primary doctor(retired) recommended me to eat white meat rather than red meat, since then, I almost quitted beef. I mainly choose pork in the past few years, some may classified pork as red meat too, but I consider it as white meat, at least the color is not that dark. I don't really like chicken. Maybe I can choose fish as main source of meat, not sure which Costco fish is better, Costco is where I visit more often.
You don't need to avoid beef (or other unhealthy foods) entirely, but you don't want to make it a big part of your diet - it's been associated with increased all-cause mortality in numerous large studies. Likewise for pork, and highly processed meats - like hot dogs, sausages and cold cuts, you're better off making them the occasional choice, not the mainstay.
The healthiest animal flesh is really fish* - of course that's fairly expensive and doesn't have a neutral taste, but chicken and turkey follow fish and both of those are less expensive and very versatile in recipes. I probably eat chicken and turkey most, then fish, and then beef and pork and processed meats.
*The healthiest fish are fatty fin-fish like salmon, tuna, cod, sardines and mackerel - these can actually improve health.
P.S. I still eat meats just because I like the taste and texture, but numerous studies have also shown that as a general rule, people who eat a lot of plant-based proteins live longer. So that's primarily beans and nuts - soybeans, black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, chickpeas/garbanzo beans, lima beans, peas - great in chilis, stews and soups, as add-ins for fried rice. Also very healthy are avocados* and nuts - especially walnuts, though with these you need to watch out for the high calorie count (from healthy fats) and just not eat too much. There are a few healthy grains that provide useful plant protein as well - like oatmeal, farro, wild rice and quinoa.
My cardiologist asked me to switch over to a plant based diet so that is one of my New Year's resolutions :-)
*Avocados are not high in protein, but I lumped them in with nuts because both are sources of healthy fats
Last edited by OutdoorLover; 01-23-2024 at 07:17 AM..
You don't need to avoid beef (or other unhealthy foods) entirely, but you don't want to make it a big part of your diet - it's been associated with increased all-cause mortality in numerous large studies. Likewise for pork, and highly processed meats - like hot dogs, sausages and cold cuts, you're better off making them the occasional choice, not the mainstay.
The healthiest animal flesh is really fish* - of course that's fairly expensive and doesn't have a neutral taste, but chicken and turkey follow fish and both of those are less expensive and very versatile in recipes. I probably eat chicken and turkey most, then fish, and then beef and pork and processed meats.
*The healthiest fish are fatty fin-fish like salmon, tuna, cod, sardines and mackerel - these can actually improve health.
Rethink fish:
It could be healthy but mostly aren’t due to widespread ocean and other waters contamination:
- Chemicals in fish per EPA:
“Mercury
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Chlordane
Dioxins
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT)”
- In addition to shellfish contamination with deadly viruses, bacteria- including botulism contaminated fish as well
-In addition to cyanoHABs - contamination by harmful algae blooms
Be especially concerned with prepared food in stores and restaurants as your seafood could be mislabeled and prepared from harmful fish contaminated - disease known as ciguatera.
More than 400 fish species are implicated, including otherwise edible like sea bass, perch, snapper
Especially if the fish is from tropics/subtropics, which due to global trade may end up on your table.
It could be in fish paste, sauces, dips, etc you buy at the stores, etc
- In addition to shellfish contamination with deadly viruses, bacteria- including botulism contaminated fish as well
-In addition to cyanoHABs - contamination by harmful algae blooms
Be especially concerned with prepared food in stores and restaurants as your seafood could be mislabeled and prepared from harmful fish contaminated - disease known as ciguatera.
More than 400 fish species are implicated, including otherwise edible like sea bass, perch, snapper
Especially if the fish is from tropics/subtropics, which due to global trade may end up on your table.
It could be in fish paste, sauces, dips, etc you buy at the stores, etc
You're right - there are risks, of heavy metals, chemicals, and bacteria in fish. But not every portion of fish is laden with mercury, PCBs and toxic bacteria. And stepping back and looking at the big picture, many credible studies show clear health benefits of fish in our diets. So I don't "throw out the baby with the bathwater".
Yes, I still eat beef and pork for variety and enjoyment, but for me, between the two of them it's one or two servings a week, not 7-days a week.
For the new year, I bought a small-ish book with plant-based recipes, and it actually has some recipes with small amounts of healthier meats - poultry and fish, in there, like "shrimp and asparagus stir fry", so I like their style - it's not cold-turkey avoidance of any and all animal flesh. This may be more doable and sustainable for me. https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Light.../dp/1547858249
I eat beef pretty rarely now. It clogs the arteries, it costs a lot, its production causes huge amounts of greenhouse gases (way over other meats), and I don't really crave it. Sometimes I'll include it in something else, like when I order a burrito and don't want chicken.
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