Two go-to indulgences have been given the green light, thanks to researchers from McMaster University in Canada. According to the recent study, regularly eating red meat and cheese can actually improve your heart health, reducing your risk of mortality in the process.
The results directly contradict previous schools of thought, which suggest that both red meat and cheese can actual cause hypertension and high cholesterol.
“Thinking on what constitutes a high quality diet for a global population needs to be reconsidered,” said Dr. Andrew Mente, lead researcher on the project. “For example, our results show that dairy products and meat are beneficial for heart health and longevity. This differs from current dietary advice.”
The comprehensive research was the result of a meta-data analysis of over 200,000 adults across more than 50 countries, allowing researchers to compare and contrast different ways of eating, with the conclusion that unprocessed red meat and cheese as part of a balanced diet can significantly benefit your ticker.
“People who consumed a diet emphasising fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, dairy products and meat had the lowest risks of cardiovascular disease and early death,” said Dr Mente. “Regarding meat, we found that unprocessed meat is associated with benefit.”
Researches suggest that previous studies are outdated, having produced different results as they only focused on those living in high-income countries, potentially skewing results and not accounting for other factors. The new study, comprising of populations across 5 continents, provides a much larger scope for analysis.
But before you go full Carnivore Diet, take this information with a grain of salt (but only a grain).
Although meat and cheese are ok for heart health, the NHMRC’s Dietary Guidelines recommend a maximum of seven serves of lean red meat per week. A serve is not a plate-sized slice of cow, however. It’s 65 grams, or roughly the size of your palm.