Source: National Cattleman
New Beef Checkoff research adds to the body of science showing that lean beef can be a daily part of a healthy diet that supports metabolic and heart health.
Kevin C. Maki, an Adjunct Professor in Applied Health Science at the Indiana University School of Public Health, conducted a high-quality, randomized controlled trial, the gold standard in research design, and found that substituting lean beef for carbohydrates, primarily from refined starches, in a healthy dietary pattern does not adversely affect the cardiometabolic risk factor profile in men and women at risk for type 2 diabetes. Specifically, this new research shows that about 6 ounces of lean, unprocessed beef daily in a healthy diet, as a replacement for carbohydrates, does not increase risk factors for heart disease or diabetes.
“This study is important because it shows that red meat can be part of a healthy eating pattern,” said lead researcher Dr. Kevin Maki.
The research compared the USDA Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, similar to that recommended by the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans containing 1.2 ounces of red meat per day, to a modified version of that same diet that included 6 ounces of lean, unprocessed beef per day as a caloric equivalent replacement for refined starches.
The research measured various markers for cardiometabolic disease risk such as insulin sensitivity and LDL cholesterol for each participant. Insulin sensitivity is a measure of how effectively the body can use carbohydrates and can be used as an indicator for development of type 2 diabetes. LDL cholesterol is also commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol because it increases the risk of heart disease.
“Insulin sensitivity and LDL cholesterol did not differ between the two diets. The only significant difference observed was a shift toward a greater percentage of cholesterol carried in larger, more buoyant LDL particles during the higher beef condition. This difference is potentially important because larger, more buoyant LDL particles may be less likely to promote atherosclerosis,” said Dr. Maki.
The take home message: This new research supports that Americans have increased flexibility to include almost 6 ounces of lean, unprocessed beef into their daily healthy diets without adversely affecting their risk for developing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. This scientific evidence provides further support that lean beef can be part of a higher-in-protein, healthy diet and is important science to consider with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans currently underway.