Which constitutes the superior choice: beef or chicken?

1. Does it pertain to red or white meat?

2. The meat components

3. Is red meat carcinogenic?

4. Are there people who should refrain from eating red meat?

1. Does it pertain to red or white meat?

Meat is categorized as white and red, however, it's not the color that plays the principal role in this classification. White meat is low-fat, fat-deprived meat such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, or veal. On the other hand, red meat, such as mainly beef, pork, and game, contains more fat. This classification of meat became very significant when the fat-cholesterol hypothesis emerged in the 1950s.

2. The meat components

Chicken breast is most frequently recommended by nutritionists and meat teachers due to its low fat and low calorie content - 100 g contains 0.3 g of saturated fat, 104 kcal and 21.5 g of full-fat protein. Important vitamins and micronutrients that can be found in meat include (approximately) 0.4 mg of iron, 30 mg of magnesium, 0.5 mg of zinc, 17 mg of selenium, 13 mg of vitamin B3, and less than 1 mg of B12 and 0.4 g of carbon. Replacing chicken with red meat and proper preparation, such as boiling or baking, helps to reduce the intake of calories and fat, effectively reducing fat tissue. Beef has a similar caloric intake - it provides 117 kcal per 100 g, but it contains 3.5 g of saturated fat (10 times more than chicken breast) and 20 g of protein. Contained micronutrients and vitamins are iron - 3 mg, magnesium - 26 mg, zinc - 3 mg, selenium - 9 ug, vitamin B12 - 1.4 ug, vitamin B3 - 5.5 mg, and the remaining B vitamins - less than 1 mg. It is a source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12. The cholesterol content in chicken breast and beef is similar, but in general red meat is more caloric and contains more fat. During the thermal processing of meat, both fats and cholesterol are oxidized and become a source of harmful free oxygen radicals.

3. Is red meat carcinogenic?

In accordance with a report by the World Health Organization, processed red meat has been incorporated into the list of factors that may augment the risk of developing cancers. Individuals who consume larger quantities of red meat have a higher risk of developing colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. The primary factors responsible for this are preservatives, trans fats, a high salt content, and a lesser fiber intake, which are often present in processed products. A healthy dietary pattern should eschew such products. It is also noteworthy that unprocessed red meat has also been included on this list, although this has not yet been validated in studies on humans.

4. Are there people who should refrain from eating red meat?

Individuals with high cholesterol levels and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease should pay particular attention to red meat consumption if they are smokers, lead a physically inactive lifestyle, consume a diet based on processed foods, have low levels of fiber and antioxidants found in vegetables and fruits (these are factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer). However, healthy and physically active individuals who require increased amounts of iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 can opt for the red meat diet to provide these components. High-fat diets have not been proven effective in reducing the risk of civilization diseases, as annual diet comparisons show, where the paleo diet ranks last. However, its advantage is consuming as little processed food as possible and of the highest quality.