These are the 3 types of meat that no doctor in Spain recommends: the worst in the supermarket

Meat is a pillar of Spanish gastronomy, a product consumed daily by millions of people. Although there is growing awareness of its impact on the environment and the risks that excessive meat consumption can have, it is still widely present on the Spanish table, but now a study conducted The Autonomous University of Madrid has shed some light on this issue. and revealed which three types of meat experts are asking you to stop eating.

This study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, concluded that high intake processed meats such as salami, bacon or sausages, may impair physical function. In this sense, researcher Ellen Struijk emphasized that the beneficial effect that quality meat proteins, It will disappear when meat is processed, treating as such any meat that has been transformed by smoking, fermentation, smoking, curing, or other processes designed to improve flavor and preserve the product.

On the other hand, Professor Esther López García, professor at the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid, wanted to highlight the importance of maintaining a balanced diet that includes proteins from different sources, such as nuts, fish, legumes and unprocessed meats.

Meat you should avoid from your diet

Thus, although meat plays an important role in the diet, it is necessary to moderate its consumption and, above all, exercise extreme caution with three types of meat: Which are the following:

• Processed meat: Processed meat is a food group that includes all types of staples such as sausages, bacon, salami, chorizo ​​or packaged sausages, among others. These are products that are very popular in our country, especially because they have a rich taste and are affordable. However, experts do not recommend them because they contain high levels of unhealthy fats, as well as additives such as sodium and nitrites, which can have very negative effects on health.
• Red meat: Red meat is also associated with a higher risk of heart disease because, because it is rich in saturated fatty acids, it increases the level of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the blood. For this reason, although they can be an important source of protein and other nutrients, experts recommend limiting their intake and replacing them with healthier options.
• Sausages: This is one of the types of processed meat that is consumed to a greater extent in Spain, such as blood sausage, choritsa or sausage loin, among others, these are varieties that are high in saturated fat and other additives that are harmful to health. Its frequent consumption may help increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

How much meat per week?

Dietary recommendations regarding meat consumption have changed greatly recently, and there is a growing body of research that recommends limiting meat consumption. amount of meat consumed per week for health reasons.

In this sense, the World Health Organization (WHO) assures that weekly consumption of processed meat should be reduced to less than 500 grams per week, and lean red meat to less than 500 grams.

For its part, the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) recommends that citizens consume moderate amounts of red meat (pork, lamb, beef) and processed meat (sausages), not exceeding 2-3 servings. per week until the World Cancer Research Fund. It is recommended to consume between 350 and 500 grams per week.

Pros and cons of eating meat

Eating meat has some benefits, namely that it rich source of nutrients and high quality proteins, in addition to containing vitamins and minerals such as zinc, selenium or iron, which are essential for health. Added to this is that it promotes satiety due to its nutritional composition, which helps control appetite and excessive food consumption, which can help in weight management.

Although it varies from person to person, cooked meat is generally easier to digest and helps maintain and gain muscle mass. Although not necessary as there are other sources of high-quality protein, eating meat helps maintain muscle mass and prevent muscle loss as you age.

(This is the butcher’s sausage most associated with cancer and is widely consumed in Spain.)

However, its use has some contraindications that force experts to limit its consumption, namely, if it is consumed in larger quantities than recommended, your chance of getting cancer will increase.

Excessive consumption of processed meat and red meat is associated with an increased risk of developing this disease, especially colorectal cancer.

In addition, it is also associated with cardiovascular disease and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, although not common, eating too much meat may be associated with or worsen various kidney diseases as it can enlarge them. load on kidney function. Likewise, consuming too much processed meat can lead to weight gain and the risk of obesity or overweight problems.