Are you in the red?

Burgers. Bacon. Cold cuts. Hot dogs. What do these foods all have in common?

Plenty.

They're all red meats, for starters. They're also fattening--and they come with health risks. Below are some important facts that will make you want to cut back on red meat if you're serious about losing weight (and if you're concerned about how it relates to your life span and quality of life).

What is red meat?

In case you're wondering, red meat includes beef, pork and lamb, and recent research shows that eating red meat means you have a higher risk of early death.

Red meat health risks

It's not just your life span that's affected. There are many serious health problems that can occur from regularly eating red meats such as the following:

• Saturated fat and cholesterol found in red meat are linked to coronary heart disease.

• Eating processed meats such as bacon, sausage or hot dogs once a day can double your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

• Heme iron, which is found in red meat, is associated with heart attacks and fatal heart disease.

• Red meat may increase your risk of colorectal and other types of cancer.

By eliminating or limiting red meat in your diet, you make an important health decision that can almost instantly benefit you. Think of some healthy red meat substitutes--such as lean turkey or grilled mushroom--that satisfy your cravings, but don't present a major health risk.

Get started today on eating and thinking in a healthier way. Make your first appointment today with Dr. Aron at WeightLossNYC if you want to see results and start losing weight. Give us a call at 718-491-5525 and we'll be more than happy to help.

Sources: EverydayHealth.com; latimes.com


Image courtesy of bplanet / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Labels: cancer, death, diabetes, diet, diet tips, food, heart health, new york, ny, nyc, red meat