Eating To Fight Cancer: To Meat or Not To Meat

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

What if I told you that I know a way to slash your risk of developing cancer by about 40%? Interested?

How about if I told you that way is by cutting all meat out of your diet? That statement might lose some of the die-hard meat eaters out there. The good news is that while completely eliminating meat is optimal, reducing meat intake is good for you too. Stick with me as we explore ways to reduce your meat consumption and increase your health.

Eating meat is a triple-whammy when it comes to cancer prevention. Not only do we have to worry about what’s in the meat, what meat lacks is a concern too. And one of the most popular cooking methods adds to the carcinogenic effect. Checking in with the folks at The Cancer Project gives us more detail.

Whammy #1:

Meat is high in dietary fat, especially saturated fat. Studied have shown that countries with a higher intake of fat, especially from animal products such as meat and dairy, have a higher incidence of breast cancer. Studies of red meat consumption by the American Institute for Cancer Research have also shown links to increased risk of various types of cancers. One reason is that the high fat content in animal products leads to increased hormone production, which then increases the risk of cancers that are hormone-related, such as breast and prostate cancer.

Whammy #2:

Meat lacks the nutrients such as fiber and antioxidants that have a protective effect on our health. Think of meat as the polar opposite of fresh fruits & vegetables. Fresh produce is high in fiber that helps keep the food moving through our GI system so it doesn’t hang around to cause us any problems, and contains a rainbow of antioxidants. Meat doesn’t have those benefits. So not only does it contain compounds that negatively impact our health, it doesn’t provide anything to have a positive effect.

Whammy #3:

Grilling & charring meat adds to the carcinogenic effect. It turns out that grilling food can expose it to two different types of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens):
•    PAHs, created when the food’s fat drips onto the heat source, causing the food to be coated with PAH-filled smoke
•    HCAs, created when food is cooked over high heat, and when red meat is cooked well-done
We’ve explored this before. Check out Safe Grilling for more information.

So what’s a meat-lover to do? If you’re not ready to give up meat altogether, try these tips:

• Reduce. Cut your typical portion size in half and add some healthy grains or veggies to your plate. You’ll still have the meat you enjoy, so you may find it’s easy to eat less.

• Replace. Hearty vegetables like portobello mushrooms can be cooked just like burgers and are a great substitute.

• Remove (gradually). Make one dinner each week meatless. Try a bean-based chili instead. As you get accustomed to that, add another meatless meal each week. Build up slowly.

Lisa Corrado of Lisa Corrado Nutrition is a stellar chef and nutritionist. She is on a mission to help busy people eat healthier. Lisa offers nutritional counseling and coaching to help you cook and plan better meals. Check out her blog, A Moment in a Busy Life, which takes you on a healthy journey through good food and great choices.