Which is the superior choice: beef or chicken?

1. Is it red meat or white meat?

2. The meat composition

3. Does red meat cause cancer?

4. Are there individuals who should avoid red meat?

1. Is it red meat or white meat?

Meat is divided into white and red meat, but it's not the color that plays the most important role in this division. White meat is lean, low-fat meat such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, or veal. Red meat, such as mainly beef, pork, and game, contains more fat. This division of meat became very important when the fat-cholesterol hypothesis emerged in the 1950s.

2. The meat composition

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. Does red meat cause cancer?

According to a report by the World Health Organization, processed red meat has been included on the list of factors that may increase the risk of cancer. Individuals who consume larger amounts of red meat have a higher risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. The main factors responsible for this are preservatives, trans fats, a high salt content, and a lower fiber intake, which are often present in processed products. A healthy diet should not include such products. It is also worth noting that unprocessed red meat has also been included on this list, although this has not yet been confirmed in studies on humans.

4. Are there individuals who should avoid red meat?

In particular, individuals with high cholesterol levels and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease should pay attention to red meat consumption if they smoke cigarettes, have low physical activity, 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 individuals who are physically active and have an increased need for iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 can choose the red meat diet to provide these components. A high-fat diet has not been proven effective in reducing the risk of civilization diseases, as annual diet comparisons show, where the paleo diet ranks last. Its advantage is, however, consuming as little processed food as possible and of high quality.