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White meat, like chicken, can raise cholesterol levels in the blood as much as red meat, a new small study in detail.
The discovery surprised researchers, who did not think that eating large amounts of poultry would lead to increased cholesterol levels in the blood. The researchers found that among the three diets studied – red meat, white meat and non-meat proteins – only the herbal diet was badociated with healthy blood cholesterol levels.
"When we planned this study, we expected red meat to have a more negative effect on blood cholesterol levels than white meat, but we were surprised that this was not the case," he said. Principal investigator, Dr. Ronald Krauss, Principal Investigator and Director. of research on atherosclerosis at the Oakland Research Institute of Children's Hospital (CHORI) in California, said in a statement. "Their effects on cholesterol are the same when saturated fat levels are equivalent." [Busted! The 7 Biggest Diet Myths]
In the APPROACH Trial – Animal and Plant Protein and Cardiovascular Health – study, researchers examined 113 healthy people randomly badigned to a diet high in fat or low in saturated fat.
All participants refrained from taking vitamin supplements and drinking alcohol during the study. Participants in both groups then followed three different diets: a red meat diet (mainly beef), a white meat diet (mainly chicken and turkey) and a meat-free diet (protein, legumes, nuts, cereals and soy products), each diet period of four weeks. Between each diet period, individuals had a "weaning period" during which they ate their usual foods. In addition, participants underwent blood tests at the beginning and end of each new diet.
The results showed that, while high saturated fat group participants had higher total and LDL cholesterol levels than those in the low saturated fat group, LDL levels in white and white meats increased, the amount of saturated fat in the diet.
In other words, white and red meats have the same effects on cholesterol levels in the blood, the researchers found. According to the American Heart Association, saturated fats are naturally present in foods such as beef fat, poultry skin, butter, cream and cheese. Too much LDL cholesterol from saturated fats can accumulate in a person's blood vessels, causing plaque formation and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The team also examined LDL particles of different sizes. (LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is also called "bad" cholesterol.) In general, small and medium-sized LDL particles are denser and heavier and some doctors think that they are more harmful for cardiovascular health, said Dana Hunnes. , senior dietitian at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, did not participate in the study.
LDL cholesterol particles that are slightly larger and less dense or more "fluffy" would be less harmful to cardiovascular health than these smaller, denser particles, Hunnes said. However, recent research published on the International Society's website on atherosclerosis suggests that small and large LDL particles may increase the risk of plaque buildup, known as atherosclerosis.
The study revealed that there were no significant differences in the amounts of LDL particles of different sizes in people in white or red diet. But eating a lot of saturated fat was badociated with higher concentrations of larger "softer" LDL particles. In total, they found that these soft LDL particles increased more in red and white meat diets than in herbal diets.
If large LDL particles are less harmful than smaller and denser particles, it is possible that a standard LDL cholesterol test overestimates cardiovascular risk in people who consume a lot of saturated fats and meat, indicated Researchers.
The team acknowledged that their findings contradicted the government's current dietary guidelines, which encourage people to eat poultry as a healthier alternative to red meat. However, so far, there has been no comprehensive comparison of the health effects of eating red meat, white meat and non-meat proteins, Krauss noted.
It is also possible that red meat is affected by other factors that can affect cardiovascular health, he said. [Beyond Vegetables and Exercise: 5 Surprising Ways to Be Heart Healthy]
"Indeed, other effects of red meat consumption could contribute to heart disease, and these effects should be explored in more detail with the aim of improving health," Krauss said.
The study is well executed and rigorous, said Hunnes. This clearly shows that vegetable protein consumption is badociated with lower cholesterol levels, she said.
"The message of this study is to eat more plants, eat more vegetable protein, limit your consumption of saturated fats from all sources and limit your consumption of animal protein, from all sources," he said. Hunnes told Live Science in an email. "All the good messages in my book!"
The discovery is in line with recent international recommendations that people eat more plants and fewer hamburgers, which is linked to climate change, freshwater pollution and the destruction of wildlife.
The new research had several limitations; the meats in the study did not include grbad fed beef or processed products, including bacon or sausages. It did not include the fish, Krauss said. In addition, the study was small and relatively short-lived, he said.
The study was published online Tuesday, June 4 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Originally published on Science live.
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