Nutritionist and director of the NGO: First of all, we must remind our listeners that, overall, the term meat designates 3 consumable parts of different terrestrial animals: muscle meat, offal and finally delicatessen. Now the more precise distinction between red meat and white meat is made from the origin of the meat. Indeed:
- Red meat comes from: beef, mutton, sheep, horse, organ meats and wild game;
- The white meat comes from it: pork, veal, rabbit and poultry such as chicken for example.
The majority have two common characteristics: a high content of good quality protein, but also a significant content of iron very available for the body and zinc. On the other hand they present a big difference on the quantity of fats which compose them. Thus, and even if there can be variations between the different parts of the same animal, we generally retain a classification in 3 groups:
- Meat known as lean which contains from 2 to 5% of lipids: it is the veal, game and poultry without the skin. This precision is important for our listeners because it is in the skin of chicken for example that there is a large amount of fat.
- Meat known as semi-fatty with 6 to 14% of lipids: it is for example the duck, there also without the skin, and the beef;
- Finally, fatty meats with 15 to 25% fat: pork, mutton, lamb and goose.
We now know that rather than the type of meat, red or white, it is the composition of these meats which is important for the potential health risk in the event of excessive consumption. In fact, all studies have shown that excess consumption of fatty meats (such as beef, mutton or pork), which are rich in saturated fatty acids, increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of Cancer. As it is the vast majority of red meats that present this profile, we have quickly realized, for years, a shortcut saying that it is excess red meat that can be harmful.
Taking this into account what are the recommendations that you can give to our listeners for their meat consumption?
- First of all, you shouldn't be afraid of meat and stop eating it completely because it has recognized health benefits, especially for children's development because they contain iron and zinc;
- I would recommend consuming meat 3 to 4 times a week with a maximum consumption of 250 to 300 g per week. On other days of the week, try to replace the meat with fish;
- It will be necessary to favor the least fatty meats by targeting 3 meats which are classified in white meats: veal, rabbit and poultry such as chicken for example;
- Finally, at the same time, it is absolutely necessary to restrict the consumption of cold meats to less than 50g per day.
Read more about cooking meat!