FitSugar

How Many Times a Week Do You Eat Red Meat?

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:40 -0700

It is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Vegetarian Awareness Month, so the red meat question was due to come. Studies have found that eating red meat daily increases your risk of breast cancer by 56 percent. These days, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a woman eating red meat daily, but that statistic sure does get you thinking.

I might not be vegetarian, but lately I eat lower on the food chain for both health and environmental reasons. I eat red meat about twice a month and buy the grass-fed and finished meat from a cattle ranch less than 50 miles away (I know I am lucky to live in Northern California). How about you?

Where's the Lean Beef?

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Most folks think red meat is the enemy to healthy living, but beef can be a great source of lean protein as well as iron, zinc, and B vitamins. But you do need to choose the right cut of meat. When at the meat counter, look for top sirloin, eye of round, or bottom round cuts since these pieces of beef generally contain less than three grams of saturated fat and are under 200 calories per three ounce serving. Pay attention to the grade of the beef as well. The label prime is not as lean as select or choice grades of beef. If you keep your portion to three ounces, studies have found that you won't raise your cholesterol levels. Once again, moderation is key to healthy living. I'd also opt for grass fed and finished beef if you can find it - it is higher in omega-3 fatty acids.

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Limit Your Consumption of Red Meat, Reduce Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0700

By now, hopefully we all know that eating too much red meat is unhealthy. It can raise your cholesterol, lead to obesity, and put you at risk for heart problems. Now there's more bad news for red meat lovers: a large study found eating red and processed meat regularly leads to an increased risk of cancer.

In the 10-year study, 545,000 people were monitored based on their red meat consumption - some ate it every day, and others only ate five ounces a week. Men who ate a quarter-pound hamburger everyday (yikes) increased their risk of dying from cancer by 22 percent and their risk of dying from heart disease by 27 percent.

What about women? To find out read more.

For women, those who ate a ton of red meat increased their risk of dying from cancer by 20 percent and their risk of dying from heart disease by 50 percent - 50 percent ladies! That means it's absolutely crucial that people, especially women, limit their intake of red and processed meats such as steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, bacon, and cold cuts.

When it comes to getting protein, stick to healthier meats such as chicken and fish. Barry Popkin, director of the Interdisciplinary Obesity Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also says that limiting your meat consumption can have a positive effect on global warming. So it's good for you and good for the planet. If you're trying to eat lower on the food chain, check out these three cheap and natural meat substitutes.

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Bad News: Red and Processed Meats Can Raise Risk of Lung Cancer

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:00:00 -0800

A while back, I told you that eating red meat and processed meats could increase your risk of breast cancer. Well, unfortunately, US researchers discovered that it could increase your risk for developing lung cancer too. They also found a link between eating a lot of red meat and cancers of the liver, esophagus and pancreas.

The study involved 500,000 people ages 50 to 71. The participants of the study followed specific diets, ranging from some meat to a lot of meat. After eight years, 53,396 cases of cancer were diagnosed. Those people eating the highest amount of red meat had a 20 to 60 percent increased risk of developing esophageal, colorectal, liver, and lung cancer.

This study doesn't really mention specific amounts of meat intake, but it does mention that red meat is a high source of saturated fat and iron, both of which have been associated with cancer risk.

Red meat includes all types of beef, pork and lamb. Processed meats include bacon, red meat sausage, poultry sausage, luncheon meats, cold cuts, ham and most types of hot dogs including turkey dogs. This study isn't urging you to become a vegetarian, but it's good to keep in mind moderation when it comes to eating red and processed meats.

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Cows and Climate Change

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Here is yet another reason to avoid red meat. This is no joke but a reduction in livestock flatulence could possibly slow climate change. Or so says a recent study published in the medical journal The Lancet, in their special energy and health series.

Cows, goats and sheep produce methane gas when they pass gas - methane really is a gas! Experts suggest decreasing our global consumption of steaks and hamburgers by 10 percent, would cut the gases emitted by livestock that contribute to global warming. They strongly recommend limiting beef intake to an average of 3 ounces per day (that's about 90 grams) to prevent an increase in these gasses. We already know that diets high in red meat contribute to breast cancer, heart disease and obesity so now there is another reason to avoid red meat!

Next time you think about ordering a burger, or making a steak, think about your personal health and the health of the planet then change your meal plans accordingly. I don't know about you, but the concept of meatless Mondays has definitely stuck around at my house (even though it is sometimes meatless Tuesday or Wednesdays, but we have a thoroughly meatless day once a week).

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What Does Your RDI Look Like: Iron

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:30:00 -0700

There's big talk about iron and making sure you get enough when it comes to nutrition. I'm sure that's one of the comments vegetarians get from their concerned parents, "If you don't eat red meat, you'll become iron-deficient!"

Iron is an important mineral the body needs to make hemoglobin which helps carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Believe it or not, iron is found in many other foods besides hamburgers and steak. Chicken, turkey and seafood such as oysters, tuna and salmon contain iron. There are also many vegetarian sources such as beans (kidney, lima, soy, pinto and black), green leafy veggies (spinach and kale, broccoli), asparagus, parsley, brussel sprouts, molasses, nuts, egg yolks, fortified cereal, enriched pasta, potatoes with the skin and dried fruits (raisins, dates and apricots).

Do you know how much iron you're supposed to get each day? To find out just read more

An adult woman should get 18 mg of iron a day. Here is a good list of some food sources that contain iron so you can get your RDI:

Food	Amount	Amount of Iron (in mg)
Fortified cereal	1 oz	4.5 - 7
Dried apricot	1/4 cup	1.5
Raisins	1/4 cup	1.1
Molasses	1 tbsp	3.3
Garbanzo beans	1/2 cup, cooked	3.4
Pinto beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lima beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lentils	1/2 cup	3.2
Soybeans	1/2 cup	7
Tofu	1/2 cup	6.2
Sun-dried tomatoes	1/2 cup	9
Spinach	1/2 cup, raw	2.7
Kale	1/2 cup, steamed	2
Broccoli	1/2 cup, raw	1
Asparagus	1/2 cup, steamed	1
Potatoes, with the skin	1/2 cup	3.2
Pine nuts	1/2 cup	9
Peanuts	1/2 cup	3.9
Pumpkin seeds	1/2 cup	14
Sunflower seeds	1/2 cup	6.7
Flaxseed	1/2 cup	6.2
Ground beef	1 patty	4
Steak	3 oz	4
Turkey (dark meat)	3 oz	4
Oysters	3 oz, steamed	7.4
Trout	3 oz	4
Shrimp	3 oz	4

How do you know if you are iron deficient (anemic)? Symptoms may include feeling unusually tired, pale skin, shortness of breath during exercise, cold hands and feet, brittle nails, hair falling out and headaches. A simple blood test will let you know if you need more iron in your diet.

If you are anemic, try to eat more foods with iron. You can take iron supplements, but they may cause an upset stomach, heartburn, or constipation. It's rare, but you can also get too much iron. Extra amounts of iron in the body eventually build up to dangerous levels and can cause severe damage to organs trying to store the extra iron. So be careful not to exceed your daily amount too often.

Fit's Tips: If you eat beets and it turns your pee red, it could be a sign that you are iron deficient. If this happens to you, get your iron checked by your doctor.

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Breast Cancer Linked to Grapefruit !?!

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I just found out some horrible news about a study involving vitamin C packed grapefruit. Eating this refreshing citrus fruit could raise your risk of developing breast cancer, particularly if you are a post-menopausal woman.

How is that possible? I thought all fruits and veggies were considered healthy. Here's the deal. Oestrogen is the hormone associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. An enzyme in your body called Cytochrome P450 3A4 (or CYP3A4) is involved in metabolizing oestrogen. Grapefruit may inhibit the metabolizing enzyme, which in turn makes oestrogen levels in your body rise, which could lead to breast cancer.

The study included 50,000 post-menopausal women and found that women who ate just a quarter of grapefruit a day increased their risk for breast cancer by up to 30%. Researchers are not suggesting you stop eating grapefruit, since more research is needed. These results definitely get us thinking about how our diets can affect our health on a molecular level.

Since these women were over 50, and we know that other lifestyle factors including drinking alcohol, being overweight, and eating red meat have also been linked to breast cancer, I'm going to let this whole grapefruit study pass by and wait for more research. What do you all think?

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Anemia: Know the Signs

FitSugar — Tue, 29 May 2007 03:00:00 -0700

We all get "bone" tired every now and again, but have you ever been "blood" tired? Tired blood is an expression used to explain anemia - a condition in which there isn't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues - can make you feel tired. Women are more prone to suffer from anemia from men due to menstruation, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

While there are many types of anemia, iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of the problem in the U.S. affecting 1 in 5 women. Being deficient in folate and vitamin B12 can also interfere with the production of red blood cells and create anemia.

Fatigue is the primary symptom along with pale skin, irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. If you think you might be anemic check the insides of your lower eyelids - they should be a healthy pink. If they are not, try upping your intake of iron or you can ask your doctor to give you a blood test.

Simple ways to combat anemia are eating foods rich in iron, like: red meat, fish, chicken, green leafy veggies, dried fruits (like apricots, prunes, and raisins) and lentils or beans. Up your iron intake by cooking tomato based sauces in a cast iron skillet, since acidic foods absorb the mineral from the pan. You can always try an iron supplement; just make sure it bears the United States Pharmacopeia Seal (USP).

Fit's Tip: Veteran mid-distance runner Ceci St. Geme had her last kid over 8 years ago and she still takes pre-natal vitamins because they contain iron. So keep your friends and loved ones guessing and start taking prenatal vitamins if you tend towards anemia.

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Red Meat Linked to Breast Cancer

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 04:00:00 -0700

We all know that eating too much red meat can be bad for our hearts. Now new research from the University of Leeds shows that eating red meat also increases a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.

35,000 women were tested over the course of 7 years, and those who ate red meat every day had a 56% greater risk of breast cancer than those who ate none.

Processed meat such as bacon, sausage, and ham are much worse than regular red meat such as steak. Those who ate processed meat every day, ran a 64% great risk of breast cancer than those who didn't eat any red meat.

Now I'm not saying you need to omit red meat altogether (unless you want to), just try to eat it 3 or less times a week (you know how I love moderation).

Fit's Tips: Eating 30g of fiber a day could cut your risk for developing breast cancer in half. Also heart pumping exercise has healthy effects on hormone levels and weight maintenance, which could also reduce your risk.

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Calling All You Carnivores!

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 09:37:26 -0800

MSNBC recently reported that eating 1.5 servings per day of red meat may double a woman’s risk of a common type (hormone related) of breast cancer compared to those who eat fewer than 3 servings per week. Furthermore, they say that two new studies suggest that vitamin supplements will do little if anything to protect her heart.

Fit's Tip: I'm not saying it's time to turn vegan, but if you are a steak a day type of girl it may be wise to cut down your intake since red meat not only can raise your risk for breast cancer but it can also be very high in fat and calories.