Both red and white meats raise low density lipoproteins (LDLs) by the same amount, finds new study
Consuming red meat and white meat such as poultry, have equal effects on blood cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Consumption of red meat has become unpopular during the last few decades over concerns about its association with increased heart disease. Most government dietary guidelines encourage the consumption of poultry as a healthier alternative to red meat.
Researchers found that consuming high levels of red meat or white poultry resulted in higher blood cholesterol levels than consuming a comparable amount of plant proteins. Moreover, this effect was observed whether or not the diet contained high levels of saturated fat, which increased blood cholesterol to the same extent with all three protein sources.
Nonmeat proteins such as vegetables, dairy, and legumes, such as beans, showed the best cholesterol benefit
“When we planned this study, we expected red meat to have a more adverse effect on blood cholesterol levels than white meat, but we were surprised that this was not the case – their effects on cholesterol are identical when saturated fat levels are equivalent,” said the study senior author Ronald Krauss, M.D., senior scientist and director of Atherosclerosis Research at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI).
The study, however did not include grass-fed beef or processed products such as bacon or sausage; nor did it include fish.
But the results indicated that restricting meat altogether, whether red or white, is more advisable for lowering blood cholesterol levels. The study found that plant proteins are the healthiest for blood cholesterol.
This study, called the APPROACH (Animal and Plant Protein and Cardiovascular Health) trial, also found that consuming high amounts of saturated fat increased concentrations of large cholesterol-enriched LDL particles, which have a weaker connection to cardiovascular disease than smaller LDL particles.
Similarly, red and white meat increased amounts of large LDL in comparison to nonmeat diets. Therefore, using standard LDL cholesterol levels as the measure of cardiovascular risk may lead to overestimating that risk for both higher meat and saturated fat intakes, as standard LDL cholesterol tests may primarily reflect levels of larger LDL particles.
Nonmeat proteins such as vegetables, dairy, and legumes, such as beans, showed the best cholesterol benefit.
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