Red versus white meat: which is better for a healthy diet?

Meat can be an important ingredient in your balanced diet. Unless you're a vegetarian, you have a variety of meat options. You can opt for white meats, such as those from chicken or turkey, which are classified as poultry, or try red meats such as lamb. beef or pork... In this situation, the choice is large, which is often confusing. In order not to be mistaken, it is necessary to understand the requirements of a healthy diet for meat products. So, to avoid further confusion, here is some important information and a complete set of differences for red and white meat.

Iron content

Red meat is an excellent source of iron for the human body. It contains approximately 2.7 mg of iron per 100 g serving. This is twice the iron level in white meat, such as chicken, where the iron content is only 1.3 mg per 100 g of product. Although white meat such as duckis not far behind when it comes to iron content, red meat is undoubtedly the winner in this category. This is because a red pigment called myoglobin is found in abundance in red meat, which is responsible for its rich iron content.

Fat content

White meat contains significantly less fat than its red counterparts. Red meat tends to be higher in saturated fat (not very healthy). Lamb and beef contain over 20 g of fat per 100 g each serving, while chicken and turkey contain 14 and 7 g per 100 g each. This is significantly less. If you are concerned about moderating your fat intake, you may want to avoid red meat. White meat also tends to be higher in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Protein

There is not much separation between white and red meat when it comes to protein content. There are 25-30 g of protein per 100 g of both of these meats, which should attract the attention of all fitness lovers.

Vitamins

Despite the fact that this meat contains a wide range of proteins, vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B6 are present in excellent ratios. These vitamins are vital to the human body and play a key role in the functioning of its various aspects. But B12 in particular is what sets them apart. Red meat contains significantly more vitamin B12. It is a key nutrient for maintaining healthy blood cells and caring for the DNA in your genetic material through your body cells. It also helps prevent anemia.

Other nutrients

Red meat is an excellent source of zinc, and white meat is superbly loaded with selenium, which is important for cognitive performance in the brain and also improves health. of cardio-vascular system... Minerals such as phosphorus and calcium are abundant in both types of meat.

Heart health

Research shows there is a link between red meat and heart disease. But there is not enough study of this issue to be sure for sure. Although, in any case, the saturated fat and trans fats in red meat are not very good for the heart.

Carcinogenic agents

The World Health Organization classifies red meat as a likely cause of cancer. Colorectal cancer in particular is a very real possibility with incredibly high levels of red meat.

Mironova A.

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