According to Bouvard et al., 2015, red or processed meat at high temperatures increases the risk of different types of cancer. People need to understand that excessive consumption of meat cooked at higher temperatures according to Bouvard et al., 2015 is considered as “carcinogenic to human” (P. 1600). There is no need to consume meat since it does not only lead to certain types of cancer, but also lead to stomach cancer that kill people within a short span. Moreover, consumption of red meat leads prostate and pancreatic cancer that is killing more people than pandemic diseases like HIV. Clearly, this means that people should stop eating meat since it will lead to more deaths than other known diseases that kill people within a short period.
Gibis (2016), also affirm that meat products are some of the main sources of protein and other mineral, but the heating process that makes meat more appetizing leads to formation of carcinogens. Heating process that makes meat more appetizing changes protein structure that leads to more harm to human beings. Clearly, this means that people should stop eating meat although it is perceived as one of the main sources of proteins. Furthermore, there is the need to understand that cooking meat cooking methods also lead to formation of carcinogens that leads to cancer. This means that means that human beings should not eat cooked meat since it exposes them to various diseases including cancer.
Harrington et al., (2013), asserts that there is the need to consider animal welfare in addition to animal ethics because the rights of every living animal have to be protected. Animal welfare issues have been a major concern in the contemporary world since people have understood that some types of animals may be extinct. Animals should be left to die from natural causes but not from increased consumption of meat by human beings. The authors advocate for restraining measures in eliminating animals, citing ethical issues related to the cycle of life.
Boland et. al (2013) cite an increasing demand and consumption of animal-derived protein owing to population increase as well as improved living standards in developing countries. The authors advocate for new sources of protein to satisfy the growing demand of animal protein. They suffice methods that include introducing foods rich in protein as substitutes for animal protein, using innovative sources of human and animal nutrition, and ensuring the new sources of protein are introduced in all levels of the food chain. Their argument is that the current supply of animal-based protein is not enough to satisfy the growing global demand. They continue by stating by the year 2050, the situation will be much worse because the increase of demand for animal-based protein exceeds its supply. Plant-derived protein has emerged as a healthy and accessible alternative for the populace. Plant-proteins are much easier to produce and have a number of advantages over animal-based proteins.
The article "Meat intake, cooking methods, dietary carcinogens, and colorectal cancer risk: findings from the Colorectal Cancer Family Registry”
delves on the issue of meat consumption being a major source of cancer to humans. The authors begin by asserting that processed meats and red meat are known causes of colorectal cancer. They then conduct a detailed analysis on the risks involved in the consumption of poultry and red meat, taking into consideration cooking techniques as well as many other factors. The research involved analyzing portions and food frequency information for 3,364 cases that included 1,806 unaffected family members, 136 unaffected couples, and 1,620 unaffected population-centered controls. The research concluded that there was no relation between risk of colorectal cancer and total processed/unprocessed red meat. However, the results showed that pan-fried beefsteak caused colorectal cancer.
The table below shows the results of the research.
All cases
MMR-proficient cases
MMR-deficient cases
All controls
Sibling controls
Spouse controls
Population controls
N = 3350
N = 876
N = 243
N = 3504
N = 1759
N = 138
N = 1607
Characteristics
N (%)
N (%)
N (%)
N (%)
N (%)
N (%)
N (%)
Mean Age
59.4 ± 11.4
55.8 ± 12.4
58.9 ± 12.9
57.8 ± 11.4
55.1 ± 11.9
58.1 ± 13.5
60.6 ± 9.8
Gender
Male
1529 (46)
483 (55)
97 (40)
1623 (46)
725 (41)
59 (42.8)
839 (52.2)
Female
1821 (54)
393 (45)
146 (60)
1881 (54)
1034 (59)
79 (57.2)
768 (47.8)
Race
Non-Hispanic white
2096 (63)
643 (73)
208 (86)
2681 (76)
1171 (67)
28 (20.3)
1482 (92.2)
African-American
570 (17)
3 (0)
2 (1)
198 (6)
194 (11)
2 (1.4)
2 (0.1)
Asian
472 (14)
169 (19)
25 (10)
429 (12)
284 (16)
87 (63.0)
58 (3.6)
Other
212 (6)
61 (7)
8 (3)
196 (6)
110 (6)
21 (15.2)
65 (4.0)
Center
Ontario
1855 (55)
657 (75)
166 (68)
2572 (73)
965 (54.9)
0
1607 (100.0)
Los Angeles
1059 (32)
48 (5)
54 (22)
471 (14)
471 (26.8)
0
0
Hawaii
436 (13)
171 (20)
23 (10)
461 (13)
323 (18.4)
138 (100.0)
0
BMI
<25
1205 (36)
336 (38)
108 (44)
1471 (42)
717 (41)
70 (51)
684 (43)
25–29.9
1274 (38)
325 (37)
91 (37)
1314 (38)
625 (36)
45 (33)
644 (40)
≥30 and <55
781 (23)
189 (22)
41 (17)
657 (19)
383 (22)
21 (15)
253 (16)
Abnormal (outside 17–55)
90 (3)
26 (3)
3 (1)
62 (2)
34 (2)
2 (1)
26 (2)
Saturated fat (g/kcal per day)
11.9 ± 2.8
11.9 ± 2.8
12.3 ± 2.8
11.8 ± 2.9
11.9 ± 2.8
10.4 ± 2.5
11.9 ± 2.9
Dietary fiber (g/kcal per day)
11.2 ± 3.9
10.9 ± 3.7
11.3 ± 3.8
11.5 ± 4.0
11.2 ± 3.9
10.7 ± 4.0
11.9 ± 4.1
Total vegetables (g/kcal per day)
2.1 ± 1.0
2.0 ± 1.0
2.2 ± 1.1
2.2 ± 1.0
2.1 ± 1.1
2.1 ± 1.1
2.2 ± 1.0
Physical activity (h/month)
22.8 ± 38.9
23.9 ± 38.7
28.7 ± 50.4
24.7 ± 42.1
22.4 ± 36.9
27.4 ± 62.0
26.9 ± 45.1
Total caloric intake (kcal/day)
2321 ± 1004
2400 ± 961
2292 ± 990
2182 ± 902
2173 ± 911
2242 ± 1009
2186 ± 883
Total red meat (g/kcal per day)
30.6 ± 15.6
31.1 ± 16.3
30.0 ± 15.3
29.7 ± 15.3
30.4 ± 15.6
31.3 ± 16.1
28.8 ± 14.8
Red meat nonprocessed
20.4 ± 11.4
20.5 ± 11.6
20.6 ± 12.1
20.1 ± 11.2
20.5 ± 11.5
21.9 ± 11.9
19.5 ± 10.9
Red meat processed
10.2 ± 7.6
10.6 ± 7.8
9.4 ± 6.7
9.6 ± 7.5
10.0 ± 7.8
9.4 ± 6.2
9.3 ± 7.2
Beef
14.6 ± 8.7
14.8 ± 8.7
15.0 ± 8.8
14.5 ± 8.5
14.9 ± 8.9
15.5 ± 8.8
13.9 ± 8.0
Pork
5.0 ± 4.3
4.9 ± 4.3
4.7 ± 4.7
4.7 ± 4.2
4.8 ± 4.1
5.9 ± 4.1
4.6 ± 4.3
Sausage/lunchmeats
0.24 ± 0.21
0.25 ± 0.22
0.22 ± 0.21
0.23 ± 0.21
0.24 ± 0.22
0.20 ± 0.15
0.21 ± 0.20
Organ meat
0.02 ± 0.04
0.02 ± 0.03
0.02 ± 0.03
0.02 ± 0.04
0.01 ± 0.03
0.00 ± 0.01
0.02 ± 0.04
Total poultry (g/kcal per day)
18.2 ± 15.0
17.0 ± 12.9
15.2 ± 11.5
17.2 ± 12.8
18.5 ± 13.6
17.5 ± 12.7
15.7 ± 11.8
Poultry nonprocessed
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Processed poultry
1.3 ± 2.4
1.3 ± 2.6
1.2 ± 2.8
1.1 ± 2.3
1.3 ± 2.6
0.8 ± 1.1
1.0 ± 2.1
Total HCA (g/kcal per day)
280.7 ± 325.8
267.1 ± 288.6
277.1 ± 302.9
262.8 ± 288.4
277.9 ± 306.1
209.0 ± 188.7
250.9 ± 274.1
PhIP
226.3 ± 271.1
215.8 ± 237.7
219.6 ± 250.7
212.9 ± 240.9
225.9 ± 259.2
170.2 ± 158.0
202.2 ± 224.7
MeIQx
50.9 ± 61.8
48.0 ± 57.9
53.9 ± 58.7
46.7 ± 54.8
48.6 ± 55.3
36.4 ± 35.2
45.5 ± 55.6
DiMeIQx
3.4 ± 5.2
3.3 ± 4.1
3.7 ± 4.4
3.2 ± 4.1
3.3 ± 3.9
2.3 ± 2.4
3.2 ± 4.3
The authors conclude that certain types of meat and different methods of preparation contribute to carcinogens pertinent for colorectal risk.
Wang and Beydoun (2009) he individuals who expended more meat had a substantially higher day by day add up to vitality consumption, for instance, those in the upper versus base quintiles devoured around 700 more kcal day−1 (P<0.05). Relapse models demonstrated predictable positive relationship amongst MC and BMI, abdomen boundary, weight and focal stoutness, separately. Utilizing quintile 1 (low MC) as the reference, the affiliation (chances proportion (OR) and 95% certainty interim (CI)) between add up to MC quintiles and heftiness were 1.03 (0.88; 1.21; second quintile), 1.17 (1.00; 1.38), 1.27 (1.08; 1.51) and 1.27 (1.08; 1.49;upper quintile), separately; though that with focal stoutness was 1.13 (0.96– 1.33), 1.31 (1.10; 1.54), 1.36 (1.17– 1.60) and 1.33 (1.13; 1.55), individually. These US national cross-sectional information demonstrate positive relationship amongst MC and hazard for stoutness and focal corpulence. Additionally, there is the moral issue surrounding the killing of animals in order to obtain meat for consumption (621).
Conclusion
There is enough literature to show that detrimental effects of consuming animal-derived proteins. Consumption of meat increases the chances of getting cancer due to the carcinogens that are triggered by methods of preparations. Various authors have also indulged on overweight as caused by meat consumption. Therefore, consumption of animal-based protein, particularly red meat, in bad and should be dealt with accordingly.
Recommendations
Meat Alternatives such as beans (kidney, soy, black), peas, and lentils are lower in fat and still provide protein, iron and vitamins. Legumes are a great source of fiber. Enjoy soups, stews, casseroles and salads with legumes or use pureed beans or chickpeas in dips and spreads.
Experiment with Soy. Soybeans are unique among beans because they contain all the building blocks or amino acids found in other complete protein foods like meat. Experiment! Use tofu in place of half the ground beef in meatloaf, chili or tacos. Snack on a handful of soy nuts rather than chips or crackers. The best nutritional choice is tofu made with calcium.
References
Boland, M. J., Rae, A. N., Vereijken, J. M., Meuwissen, M. P., Fischer, A. R., van Boekel, M. A., ... " Hendriks, W. H. (2013). The future supply of animal-derived protein for human consumption. Trends in Food Science " Technology, 29(1), 62-73.
Bouvard, V., Loomis, D., Guyton, K. Z., Grosse, Y., El Ghissassi, F., Benbrahim-Tallaa, L., ... " Straif, K. (2015). Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat. The Lancet Oncology, 16(16), 1599-1600.
Gibis, M. (2016). Heterocyclic aromatic amines in cooked meat products: causes, formation, occurrence, and risk assessment. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 15(2), 269-302.
Harrington, L. A., Moehrenschlager, A., Gelling, M., Atkinson, R. P., Hughes, J., " Macdonald, D. W. (2013). Conflicting and complementary ethics of animal welfare considerations in reintroductions. Conservation Biology, 27(3), 486-500.
Joshi, Amit D., et al.(2015). "Meat intake, cooking methods, dietary carcinogens, and colorectal cancer risk: findings from the Colorectal Cancer Family Registry." Cancer medicine 4.6: 936-952.
Wang, Youfa, and May A. Beydoun. (2009) "Meat consumption is associated with obesity and central obesity among US adults." International Journal of Obesity 33.6 621.
