As MAHA sweeps the nation, people are finding a renewed interest in their health – and, of course, what we put into our bodies can determine our overall well-being. The debate on whether red meat causes cancer has been circling the medical arena for a long time, yet the answers remain cloudy.
A Look at Red Meat – History and Consumption
There’s no time like the summer to fire up the grill and toss on some juicy steaks, plump hot dogs, and thick burgers. It’s the American way, right? You might think red meat is consumed more often during this time of year, but according to research from PubMed, meat consumption is higher in winter months. Some researchers believe this is because humans prefer heavier foods, such as steaks and roasts, during cold weather to gain extra energy and feel fuller.
But despite it being a staple of the American diet, some research suggests eating red meat can increase cancer risk. Still, humans have been consuming it since prehistoric times. Domestication of cattle started around 8000 BC. In America, Spanish explorers introduced the first Longhorn cattle in the 1500s, and British colonists brought over Devon cattle around 1623. At this time, Native Americans were hunting buffalo and other large game for red meat.
Does Eating Red Meat Cause Cancer?
So, humans the world over – including right here in North America – have been eating red meat for millennia. How dangerous is it, though? A 2023 study published in Nutrients, an international peer-reviewed journal, found that “[t]he dietary habits of Americans need improving.” Recent national surveys discovered that the US diet scores only 59 points on the 100-point Healthy Eating Index scale. Part of the reason for the low scores, the study explained, “comes from excess meat consumption of some population subgroups.”
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