A team of researchers, led by Dr. Wenpeng You, from the University of Adelaide (Australia), has delved into meat consumption in 175 countries, including Spain, to determine the association between it and life expectancy. The exhaustive study It has been determined that the consumption of meat is positively associated with life expectancy. The reasons for this benefit may be that meat not only provides energy but also essential nutrients for the human body. In this post, we will analyze the benefits that meat brings to our health, in order to investigate all those factors that support the conclusions of this research.
We start with the most basic: proteins. Our body needs them daily to increase and preserve muscle mass, as well as to maintain bones in normal conditions. Proteins must be present in our diet every day, since the body does not store them in the same way that it accumulates fats or carbohydrates. Although it depends on many factors, the recommended daily amount is 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight. That is, a person who weighs 80 kg should take an average of 64 grams of protein daily. Meat contains proteins of high biological value, that is, they include all the amino acids that the body cannot generate on its own. The percentage of this macronutrient in meat can vary depending on the origin (animal) and the cut, but in general Iberian pork or white meat, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey or rabbit provide between 20% and 25 % protein.
Another of the great benefits of meat consumption is based on its contribution of vitamin B12. We have already delved into the intake of cobalamin previously in the Meat and Health blogalthough it should be remembered that this vitamin is essential for formation of red blood cells and, for the proper functioning of systems as important as the immune. An adequate intake of vitamin B12will also help us to an adequate activity of the nervous system already reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Among the advantages that meat brings us, we cannot ignore its impact on the immune system. The contribution of zinc by meat products favors the proper functioning of the body’s defense system. Zinc participates in cell division and in the normal metabolism of carbohydrates and fatty acids.
Although there are innumerable benefits that we can achieve with the consumption of meat, lastly, we want to give space to minerals such as phosphorus and iron. The first contributes to maintenance of bones and teeth in normal conditionsand the second, contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin and helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. These minerals can be found in numerous cuts of meat, which due to their composition are rich in phosphorus and iron.
All these advantages contribute to the inclusion of meat as a fundamental piece of a balanced diet, which in its optimal quantities provides an incomparable benefit to our health.