Meat and Human Health—Current Knowledge and Research Gaps

Abstract

Meat is highly nutritious and contributes with several essential nutrients which are difficult to obtain in the right amounts from other food sources. Industrially processed meat contains preservatives including salts, possibly exerting negative effects on health. During maturation, some processed meat products develop a specific microbiota, forming probiotic metabolites with physiological and biological effects yet unidentified, while the concentration of nutrients also increases. Meat is a source of saturated fatty acids, and current WHO nutrition recommendations advise limiting saturated fat to less than ten percent of total energy consumption. Recent meta-analyses of both observational and randomized controlled trials do not support any effect of saturated fat on cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The current evidence regarding the effect of meat consumption on health is potentially confounded, and there is a need for sufficiently powered high-quality trials assessing the health effects of meat consumption. Future studies should include biomarkers of meat intake, identify metabolic pathways and include detailed study of fermented and other processed meats and their potential of increasing nutrient availability and metabolic effects of compounds.

Nutritional Benefits from Fatty Acids in Organic and Grass-Fed Beef

“…Despite potential protective effects, ruminant meat is a major contributor to SFA intake. The average UK adult intake of SFAs is 13.1% (aged 65–74 years) and 14.6% (aged 75 years and older) of total energy intake, which is higher than the recommended daily allowance of <11% [ 110 , 111 ]. Whilst SFA consumption needs to be reduced, addressing this through meat consumption habits is complicated.…”

Influence of Different Cooking Methods on Fillet Steak Physicochemical Characteristics

“…Meat is a source of protein widely consumed by the population in many countries due mainly to the nutritional aspects (the content of proteins of high biological value, iron, and vitamin B12 content) as a strategy to avoid malnutrition in some populations, and its sensory characteristics and the cultural aspects related to the meat consumption (varying according to demographic aspects, such as age, gender, employment and education status and others) [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Since ancient times, meat has been an important component of the human diet.…”

“…Meat consumption is linked to the idea that a healthy diet should include meat (to achieve adequate ingestion of protein and iron), and to masculinity justifying the higher ingestion of meat by males compared to females [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Even though the type and amount of meat ingested differ among populations and cultures, most Western countries’ dishes include meat accompanied by vegetables [ 1 ]. Almost a half of the world’s meat production is from European countries, Brazil and the United States.…”

Potential Analysis and Development Strategies Based on Zoning For Beef Cattle Farming in Kepulauan Bangka-Belitung Province

“…Meat consumption in Indonesia every year also always increases, due to public awareness of the importance of consuming animal protein (Tadete et al, 2016). This condition is caused by important role of meat as a source of high-quality proteins, minerals and vitamins and other compounds, which was difficult to obtain in sufficient amount from other sources (Geiker et al, 2021).…”