New Zealand researchers are investigating whether certain kinds of red meat could actually protect against heart disease
Researchers have recruited men aged 35-55 willing to eat free meat three times a week for eight weeks in the name of science. Participants are supplied with grass-fed Wagyu beef, grain-finished beef or a soy-based meat alternative (they can’t choose which).
The study is looking at how the complex lipids (fats) in high quality, unprocessed red meat affect heart health, using the vegetarian protein group as a control.
It follows earlier evidence that eating Wagyu beef in moderation may help protect against heart disease. The beef, from specially bred and fed cows, is rich in a fat called conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, and several other so-called ‘good fats’.
Study lead Professor David Cameron-Smith, from the University of Auckland-based Liggins Institute, says red meat is an excellent source of protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, such as iron, but has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and colon cancer.
Almost all of the evidence for those links comes from large epidemiological studies, which involve identifying associations between people’s self-reported diet and their health status years later.
“The trouble is, it’s hard to tell whether these associations are linked to meat, or other diet and lifestyle factors,” says Professor Cameron-Smith.
“Another issue is that many studies do not separate out the effects of fresh and preserved, or processed, red meat. The link to colon cancer is clear for processed meat. But very few scientific studies have extended this research to actually piece together whether a modest intake of good quality, fresh red meat has any positive or negative impacts on health.”
The other two researchers running the study, called the CLIMB Study, are Liggins Institute Research Fellow Dr Amber Milan and AgResearch Senior Research Scientist Dr Emma Bermingham.
Dr Milan says the difference in fat profiles between the Wagyu and standard (grain-finished Angus-mixed breed) beef is to do with both the breed of the cow and feeding practices.
“Grass-fed cows naturally have more Omega-3 and other ‘good fats’ like DPA and CLA, which have anti-inflammatory properties. CLA is unique to ruminants because it is produced by the bacteria in their guts.
“Our study will hopefully show whether beneficial fats in meat have similar positive health effects in humans, and could potentially help prevent heart disease later in life.”
Researchers will also analyse participant blood, urine and stool samples to look for changes in health indicators such as blood lipids, including cholesterol, and changes in body fat composition. The results are expected mid-2019.