White meat is as bad for you as red beef for your cholesterol, according to a study



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(CNN) The debate over red meat or white meat is a draw: Consumption of white meat, such as poultry, will have an identical effect on your cholesterol levels than eating red beef, according to new research .

The long-held belief that white meat consumption is less harmful to the heart could still be true, since red meat consumption could also have other effects contributing to cardiovascular disease, researchers said. 39, University of California at San Francisco. This needs to be explored in more detail, they added.

Proteins other than meat such as vegetables, dairy products and legumes, including beans, have the best benefit in terms of cholesterol, according to the new study published Tuesday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Bad" cholesterol can lead to heart disease

It is well known that saturated fats increase the concentration of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, in your bloodstream and if this harmful waxy substance builds up in your arteries, it could result in a heart attack or stroke. Saturated fats, mostly of animal origin, include butter, beef fat and poultry skin.

Dietitians have assumed that the generally high saturated fat content of red meat contributes to the risk of cardiovascular disease, but no one has yet adequately tested this theory, according to the researchers. And so they tested the long-standing belief.

More than 100 healthy men and women between the ages of 21 and 65 were randomly assigned to high-saturated fat groups, provided mainly by butter and high-fat foods, or low-saturated fat groups.

All participants, who abstained from drinking for the duration of the study, followed three test diets: a red meat diet, a white meat diet, and then a diet. diet without meat. Each diet lasted four weeks and was punctuated by a "weaning period" during which participants ate their usual foods. The researchers mainly provided beef, while chicken was the main protein of white meat. Blood samples were collected from all participants at the beginning and end of each test diet.

The results of the study showed that vegetable proteins had the greatest impact on blood cholesterol. At the same time, the effects of white meats and red meats on participants' cholesterol levels were similar when saturated fat levels were equivalent.

Thus, participants with a diet high in saturated fat had higher total and LDL cholesterol levels than those associated with a diet low in saturated fats, regardless of their protein source.

The researchers also examined the size of the cholesterol particles. It has been widely accepted that large particles do not contribute as much as small particles to the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), but recent research suggests that small and large particles of bad cholesterol are associated with 39; atherosclerosis.

The study showed no significant difference in the concentrations of large, medium and small LDL particles in participants' blood between red meat diets and those based on white meat. However, a diet rich in saturated fats was associated with a higher concentration of large LDL particles, although no association was found for small or medium sized particles.

The long-held belief that eating white meat is less harmful to your heart can still be true. Consumption of red meat that contributes to cardiovascular disease could have other effects, said researchers at the University of California at San Francisco. This needs to be explored in more detail, they added.

Always choose the "leanest meats"

Maria Romo-Palafox, registered dietitian and postdoctoral fellow at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, described the study as "perfectly planned." Romo-Palafox, who did not participate in the research, said they even took their meals as part of this "well-controlled" study.

"If you have cholesterol problems or if you have a family history of cholesterol or heart disease, it is better to consume fewer red and white meats and replace" beans, lentils, protein-rich cereals like quinoa and soybeans. tofu and tempeh products, "she said.

"Finding findings, we confirm that a plant-based diet tends to have better health outcomes and tends to have less [negative environmental] impact, "she said. Scientists "do not know exactly" why plant proteins protect the heart, but it is thought that "the other vitamins and minerals that accompany the plant" – and not the vegetable proteins themselves – are more beneficial to our cardiovascular system. she explained.

We do not need to see the results of the study "as a white or black problem," she said. Meat, whether red or white, does not have to be banned from everyone. Although nutritionists make recommendations to the general public, each individual has unique nutritional needs.

"The message to remember is that there is no need to put a restriction or prohibition label on red meat," said Romo-Palafox. "Make sure you choose the leanest meats you can. If you can adopt a meatless Monday, why not? This could help you balance your risks. "

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