How much meat should we eat?

We get to the bottom of the ongoing debate over how much red meat we should eat.

As the TV commercials declare, "Red meat: we were meant to eat it." But given that meat consumption is linked to several diseases, is it necessary for good health? The issue even divides experts, with some arguing it's an essential source of nutrients and others convinced it's a modern-day toxin.

Contentious issue

Heart disease and breast, bowel and prostate cancer are all linked to eating too much meat. But for those who skimp on animal protein, it may be hard to get enough of nutrients such as iron, iodine and vitamin B12. So how much meat do we really need? A controlled intake of lean meat as part of a balanced diet can help maintain health, says dietitian Sharon Natoli, director of Food and Nutrition Australia (FNA). "We support eating a variety of protein sources because we get different nutrients from different sources. Legumes are a good source of iron, zinc and fibre. But it's easier to get your nutritional requirements if you include meat in your diet."


Natoli says meat is a rich source of easily absorbed iron, zinc, B vitamins and omega-3s. However, we don't need to eat much to reap the nutritional benefits, says nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton.  "The healthiest intake of meat is a small one. We have this idea about huge serves of meat in Australia, whereas in Asia and Mediterranean countries, meat is a small amount on the side," Stanton says. Australians are among the biggest meat eaters in the world, with each of us consuming an average of 110 kilograms a year, according to the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.
Based on current nutritional guidelines, this is about three times as much as recommended. Some of us may be consuming a whole week's worth of meat in one sitting.One serving of meat should be 65 to 100 grams, which is much smaller than most restaurant or cookbook portions. Australian guidelines recommend small serves of red meat three to four times a week.

Eating fish twice a week provides omega-3 oils, says FNA, while seafood provides iodine, which is important for foetus development. Chicken breast is a dieter's staple as it's low in fat and high in protein. But a recent study carried out by FNA found different cuts provide a variety of B vitamins, selenium, omega-3s and zinc. Poultry consumption in Australia has more than quadrupled since the late 1960s, so most of us are getting our recommended two or more servings a week. The Cancer Council New South Wales acknowledges a "convincing" link between high red meat intake and bowel cancer, but still supports sensible consumption of unprocessed meat because of the nutritional benefits.
"Red meat is strongly correlated with bowel cancer - but not in quantities of about 40 grams a day," Dr Stanton says. Bowel cancer is the most common cancer in Australia and is related to diet and lifestyle. Dr Stanton says a healthy vegetarian diet is better than a high-meat diet and can provide adequate nutrients, although vegans need to take a supplement of vitamin B12, which is only found in animal-derived products.

However, Veronique Droulez, marketing manager for nutrition at Meat and Livestock Australia, says meat is a nutrient-dense food that provides us with more easily absorbed vitamins and minerals than we realise."Having nutrient-rich foods is good in restricted diets," she says. "We know, for example, that in developing countries, if you supplement children's diets with meat, they tend to do better than if you give them supplements."

An aid to weight loss?

Meat may also have a legitimate role in tempering the obesity problems in western countries. New evidence shows that including some lean meat in a restricted diet may be useful in maintaining weight loss. "We have looked at low-kilojoule diets and found it's easier to meet nutritional requirements if you include some meat," Natoli says.

Droulez says red meat is vital for women, who may be more prone to iron deficiency. But Dr Stanton says research has shown that vegetarians generally have enough iron in their blood - although their back-up stores tend to be lower. "A poor diet is a common cause of iron deficiency - a meatless diet is not," she says. Fish, skinless chicken and lean cuts of meat are healthier than sausage, bacon and burgers. Processed products, which undergo a potentially harmful chemical preservation process, are common culprits when meat is linked to cancer.

Cooking style is also important - steaming, baking, grilling or stir-frying is good; deep-frying and charring on a barbecue is not so healthy. Many studies that have found negative health effects from eating meat come from the US and Europe. But Australian meat is healthier, leaner and produced under better conditions, says FNA.

"We have one of the most stringent set of food regulations in the world," Natoli says.So if our meat is so high-quality, should we even bother with organic or free range?Baiada Poultry, which produces Lilydale free-range chicken, says free-range birds can roam outside and aren't treated with antibiotics. Organic chooks have the same comforts, plus mostly certified organic feed and no vaccinations unless absolutely essential. Paying extra for organic meat may help us eat smaller portions, Dr Stanton suggests.

But eating organic or free-range meat isn't necessarily better for our health, Droulez says. "From a nutrition or food safety point of view, there's no evidence that there's any difference between organic and non-organic meat." Buying organic eliminates pesticides and chemical fertilisers, but all cattle and sheep have heavy carbon footprints. So the moral of the story is moderation.