There is a lot of conflicting information surrounding the consumption of meat and the effect it has on overall health. With conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and chronic inflammation at an all time high, it makes you wonder what’s truly behind these diseases. The truth is, most people eat extremely unhealthily. From processed foods to artificial flavors/colors, etc., it’s not hard to understand why we are more unhealthy as a species than ever before. However, another main culprit that many may be surprised to find out, is meat. There are numerous negative effects that meat has on overall health. Take a look at the following reasons to see if potentially eliminating meat from your diet may be the right choice for you.
#1: Meat is very high in fat, especially saturated fat
Decades of research has shown that excess saturated fat in your diet can have extremely negative effects on your health. Saturated fats are found in meat along with other animal products such as butter and cheese. These fats directly impact the cardiovascular system. They are linked to a greater strain on the heart by placing fat deposits in the arteries. This can cause high blood pressure and artery damage. Most animals raised for meat nowadays are living in unnatural conditions and eating foods outside their natural diets, which causes their meat to be even higher in saturated fats.
#2: Meat is hard on the digestive system
Meat takes a very long time to be digested. It lacks fiber, which causes it to move slowly through the intestines. This can increase the risk for colon cancer. In fact, it has been reported that processed meats are classified as a class one carcinogen for humans, which means there is strong evidence that eating these meats causes cancer. Because meat moves so slowly through the intestines, it actually putrefies. Putrefaction produces toxins and amines that
accumulate in various organs such as the liver, kidneys and large intestines. This causes bacterial cultures to be destroyed and eventually causes the lining of the small intestine to degenerate. Over time, putrefied meat will attach itself to your intestines which can lead to digestive problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, prolapsed colons, hemorrhoids and constipation.
#3: Eating meat increases the risk for autoimmune diseases
Because many animal protein are so close in structure to our own, the body often treats these proteins as foreign objects and tries to destroy them. This is similar to the way that organ transplants are often rejected. Over time if the body does this on a regular basis, it may begin to turn on itself. This can lead to the development of autoimmune disorders such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
#4: Most meat contains synthetic hormones
Unless you buy and eat only organic meat, chances are your meat has hormones in it. This is because many nonorganic farmers inject their animals with various hormones that speed up the growth process, making them mature faster. The faster animals grow, the faster they can be turned into monetary profit. These growth hormones, when consumed by humans, can disrupt our own hormonal balances. Many studies have linked the consumption of these hormones to early onset puberty.
