When it comes to your heart, monitoring your diet is one of the best things you can do to keep it healthy. If you’re someone who loves to eat red meat, it is essential that you understand the effects that too much of this can have on your heart. At Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island, our expert staff will help keep your heart protected in various ways, including assisting you in improving your diet.
Red Meat And Your Heart
Protein is an essential macronutrient the body needs to properly function. It helps to build and maintain muscle and can be found in foods such as red meat. While protein is necessary, there are various other sources that are better for you and your heart, including lean chicken and turkey, chickpeas, tofu, lentils, nuts, and more. You may want to consider swapping in some of these healthier alternatives for protein as studies have found that consuming too much red meat increases one’s risk of suffering from heart disease. If left unchecked, heart disease can have fatal complications, which is why you should re-evaluate your eating habits.
Why Is Red Meat Problematic?
Studies have shown that the high levels of unsaturated fat in red meat plays a large role in the development of heart disease. Additionally, byproducts formed by the gut bacteria during the digestion of red meat have been shown to lead to increased cholesterol deposits on the artery walls. Processed meat can also cause inflammation, and most meats available for purchase are processed, whether it be the meat itself or the diet of the animal.
To Limit Or Ditch?
If you’re an avid meat lover, the prospect of having to give up eating red meat can be a daunting one. Is it essential to completely stop eating red meat? Fortunately, our team at Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island is here to say that like anything, red meat is safe to be enjoyed in moderation. Doctors recommend consuming no more than 90 grams of red meat a day. Sticking to this recommendation allows you to reap the benefits of consuming red meat, which includes the below:
- Protein found in red meat will enable you to maintain muscle.
- Consuming red meat can help combat iron deficiency.
- Your immune system can be boosted from the B vitamins in red meat.
Contact Us
Nobody cares more about their patient’s heart health than our team here at Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island. If you’d like to learn more about the connection between red meat and your heart or are looking for more dietary advice, be sure to contact us today!