Halving red meat consumption can reduce heart disease risk:Study

Washington: Red meat hasn’t been receiving good press lately and now a new study has found that halving the amount of red meat in the diet can reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood further reducing the risk of developing heart disease.
Red and processed meat (RPM) include fresh pork, beef, lamb and veal and meats that have been smoked, cured or preserved (other than freezing) in some way.
These meats are typically high in saturated fatty acids which cause an increase in LDL cholesterol. This is the “bad” cholesterol that collects in the walls of blood vessels, where it can cause blockages and raise the chance of a heart attack.
Increasing awareness of the risks associated with eating red and processed meat has led to a growing number of people adopting vegetarian and vegan diets, which cut out meat completely.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham wanted to find out if reducing the amount of red meat eaten, rather than cutting it out completely, would have a positive effect on the health of the subjects taking part.
The results, published today in the journal — Food & Function — showed that the most significant change was a drop in the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood, and those with the highest levels, in the beginning, had the biggest drop.