Meat Consumption Increases Risk of Diabetes, But That’s Not the Whole Story

Results from a large meta-analysis recently published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology paints a clear picture that red meat, and in particular processed meat, is associated with a significant risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes worldwide. But how clear is that conclusion?

This study featured nearly two million adults from 31 cohorts in 20 countries and found that eating 50 grams of processed meat daily, which is about two slices of ham, increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 15 percent over a ten-year period. The study also determined that there was a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes when processed meat was replaced with poultry or unprocessed red meat.

“We know that eating processed and red meat causes inflammation and increases risk of inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and others,” said diabetes expert Beverly Yates, ND. “However, we must remember that everyone is not equally vulnerable. For example, I have seen families who eat the same foods and yet there are different health outcomes among family members.”

Dr. Yates also points out that not all red meat is created equal.

More to the Story

“When cows are fed corn and other substances that they do not eat naturally and are given antibiotics to boost weight, it increases inflammation in the cows that can then be transferred to humans who eat the meat,” explained Dr. Yates, who is the creator of the Yates Protocol to help people control their blood sugar and reduce risk and reverse type 2 diabetes. “When cows eat grass and graze on pastures, there is not only less inflammation, but also more nutrients in the meat.”

Nutritional comparisons do, in fact, show that grass-fed meat contains less saturated and monounsaturated fats, more omega-3 fats and more nutrients such as vitamin E, B vitamins, magnesium, and other nutrients.

A 2022 review also found that grass-fed, pasture raised beef had higher amounts of omega-3s and phytochemicals compared to cows raised on feedlots.  Another 2022 review also found that pasture-raised beef was higher in important omega-3 fatty acids compared to conventionally raised beef and that the pasture-raised aspect was even more important than whether or not the beef was labelled “organic.”

“One reason we may be seeing such a significant increase in metabolic illnesses characterized by increased levels of inflammation such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer may be because several decades ago grass-fed was the norm, whereas now grain-fed feedlot operations have become more common,” said Dr. Yates.

Helping Patients Choose Wisely

According to a recent review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, plant-based diets are associated with lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers including prostate, colon, breast, and digestive.

In addition to focusing on a plant forward diet, patients can participate in “meatless Monday” by having a vegetarian meal at least once a week. They can also replace deli meats with vegetables, cheese, fruit, and nuts.

For Dr. Yates, she emphasizes quality with her patients and discusses the benefits of wild-caught fish and free-range chicken as healthy alternatives to processed meats and non-grass-fed red meat. She also explained the difference between traditional, hand-crafted processed meats versus factory processed where there are more foreign chemicals and inflammatory compounds.

“If you look at health outcomes in places like Italy where the culture does eat processed meats, the difference is that they are eating meats that come from the local butcher who has hand-produced the meat versus having it coming from a huge manufacturing operation,” she said.

“While this latest study is interesting in that it looked at poultry in addition to red and processed meat, I’d like to see future studies that distinguish between the form of the red meat for a more accurate comparison. I think we will see that the association between these inflammatory diseases will be less with grass-fed pasture-raised beef versus conventionally manufactured grain-fed meat,” concluded Dr. Yates.