As reported by Allison Aubrey at NPR, a new study has revealed that people who routinely eat a lot of red meat — as well as processed meats — "may be increasing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes"
One of the study authors, Dr. Walter Willett of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, writes in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that "when we looked at the women and men who consumed the most red meat compared to the least, we found about a 50% increase in risk." Furthermore, most of these participants also had "higher body mass indexes," as reported by Arnold.
Now, this may be a "chicken or egg" type situation: Does the red meat increase weight, thereby resulting in an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes? Or is it the opposite? Willett notes that the heme iron in red meat may have some impact on the pancreas itself, which is where insulin is developed. As Arnold reported, another researcher, Dr. Suzanne de la Monte, of Brown University, has written that there are "compounds that form when nitrates are added to foods . . . [which] may promote insulin resistance disease." This would mean any sort of cured or preserved meat, cold cut, salumi, charcuterie meats or other similar items.
One simple way to relieve some of the risk is to follow a plant-based diet or, as Willet recommends, at least limiting your red meat intake to one serving a week.
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