Is Meat Toxic? – Busting 3 Meat Myths
You’ve probably heard from your vegetarian or vegan friends that meat is toxic, that it rots in your bowels and we can’t digest it. We’ve even seen headlines saying it causes cancer and is destroying our health! Then you have so-called “documentaries” like What the Health and Forks Over Knives that make non-vegetarianism seem absolutely horrific!
Have you ever wondered if any of these claims are true? There are a lot of people who have tried to convince me of these things. And today, we’re going to get to the bottom of it by going through the guts of these claims, some of which are completely untrue, while others have more nuanced answers.
Just to be clear, we WILL NOT be delving into the morality of eating meat and I’m not trying to convince you to eat meat. That’s a whole different story and, I believe, more of a personal view than something that can be hashed out in a blog post. I’m not throwing morality around here, just the facts. Plus, to meat or not to meat is your choice, and it’s none of my business.
1. Meat doesn’t even get digested, right?
Just think of it this way: if meat never got digested and stayed in your intestines, it would block clog them up and you’d be a balloon of rotting meat. I’m sure that would smell pretty damn foul and you’ll probably never get laid. The meat actually gets digested quite efficiently and there isn’t much left over to rot. What DOES rot in your gut are fibrous vegetables. The stomach can’t digest it properly so it goes down the intestines and gets broken down by the bacteria there. So, vegetarians, cash me outside, ha’ ba’ da’!
So, the veggies nourish you and your good gut bacteria, keeping you healthy and happy like everyone else. And meats give you lots of nutrition too like protein and the essential vitamin B-12 along with healthy fats, calcium and tons more. We are omnivores, and that’s a fact.
2. Facebook said meat causes cancer!
Back in 2014, a study came out claiming red meat causes cancer. Of course, it went viral, but it was overblown, as far as I can tell. Primarily, this is for processed meats, which has been shown to have an association with meat consumption, because processed meat is often overcooked, which creates chemicals like Heterocyclic Amines and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons that have been linked to cancer.
It's a similar story with grilled and charred or fried meat. However, it’s found that fruits and vegetables often counter the effects of cancer-causing agents. So, as mum always said, eat your veggies!
As far as regular meats are concerned (non-processed, that is) there is a correlation, so until we have more solid findings, cut down a bit and don't overdo it. Of course, have the occasional rashers of bacon or steak, but minimise it. And have your veggies. You can also go for white meats like chicken, fish or turkey which, as far as I can find, are about as safe as meats get if you cook them well enough to avoid infections.
3. Red meat makes the body acidic, making bones brittle!
The truth is exactly the opposite. Many studies have shown eating meat to increase bone density and fight osteoporosis. And as for the acidity thing, it’s just plain false. Your bodyhas very strict methods of regulating your blood’s pH levels. If your blood does become acidic, trust me, you’ll know, and probably will need to be hospitalised as it’s a pretty serious condition.
Conclusion: So, what does all this mean?
The fact is that meat, whether red or white, is good for you in many ways. If you’re trying to lose weight, maybe cut down a bit on the fattier meats, but there’s no good reason to stop eating it. Go ahead and grab yourself some as a part of a nutritious, balanced diet.Meat and protein in our diets is a vast subject, and there’s still a lot I want to tell you about, so keep an eye out on this blog. In the meantime, did I miss out or mess up something? Let me know in the comments.