Health News | Red meat: What makes it unhealthy? - Los Angeles Times

Health News | Red meat: What makes it unhealthy? - Los Angeles Times 

"On Monday, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health released study results showing that red meat consumption was associated with a higher risk of early death. The more red meat -- beef, pork or lamb, for the purposes of the research -- study participants reported they ate, the more likely they were to die during the period of time that data collection took place (more than 20 years)...."

"First, eating red meat has been linked to the incidence of heart disease.  The saturated fat and cholesterol in beef, pork and lamb are believed to play a role in the risk of coronary heart disease.  The type of iron found in red meat, known as heme iron, has also been linked to heart attacks and fatal heart disease.  Sodium in processed meats may increase blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Other chemicals... used in processed meats may play a role in heart disease as well, by damaging blood vessels.
Red meat has also been linked to increased risks of colorectal and other cancers.  Again, heme iron could be a culprit....  Preservatives used in processed meats also... convert into carcinogenic compounds in the body."